


Your Kids are Safe Now

by Night_Writer3



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: AJ is a Badass, AJ too obviously, ALL the kids are badasses, All the potential kids lived, Canon Typical Violence, Christa and Omid's kid, Clem is also less trusting because season 3, Clementine and Louis because they are my fave, Clementine is a Mama Bear, F/M, Fluff, If people really want to see it I'll do the Violet route too, Javi and Kate's kid, Luke and Jane's kid, There are added scenes, louis is a saint, she has like 4 kids
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-02-08 11:35:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 42,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18622522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Night_Writer3/pseuds/Night_Writer3
Summary: I really loved the whole Clem and Lee and Clem and AJ dynamic so after The Final Season broke my heart and crushed my soul I decided to write a fanfic. It's basically season 4 if all the babies Clem could have come in contact with lived. She has Gen, who is Christa and Omid's kid. AJ, obviously. Luke, who is Jane and Luke's kid, and Dio, who is Javi and Kate's kid.Sorry for the horrible summary this is my first fanfic.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I wrote this late at night, so sorry in advance for any grammar mistakes. So, just to clear things up, Gen is 7, AJ is 5, Luke is 4, and Dio is 6months.

Normally, the click and whirl of the gun that AJ plays with wouldn't bother Clementine. She is raising four kids in the apocalypse after all. Maybe it's because Dio had been fussy all day. Maybe it’s because they had been in the car for weeks, the hopes of them ever actually stopping getting smaller everyday. Whatever it is causes Clementine to adjust her rearview mirror to look at the four kids in her backseat.

“Whatcha’ doing there, goofball,” Clementine asks, her voice tinged with annoyance.

“Pretending we got bullets.” 

“Well, don't. It's getting on my nerves,” Clementine replies. She looked at the three other kids, all of which are completely ignoring her and AJ's conversation.

Gen, who is sitting in the seat behind the passenger seat, is shooting small rocks at the seat with her slingshot. She takes the bigger rocks and stores them in a pouch she keeps at her waist. Luke is dealing with Dio, gently rocking the fussy baby.

AJ looks up at her and frowns. “I'm too old for goofball. It's Alvin Junior.”

Clementine smiles, “Well, I guess you're all grown up. Two down, two to go, huh?” Clementine looks at the despondent kids, trying to coax a smile out of at least one of them but to no avail. She sighs, “Is AJ still okay?”

“Yes, AJ's still okay.”

“What about you, Gen? Should I start calling you Genevieve?”

Gen makes a face, momentarily stopping her assault on the chair in front of her. “God, no. I hate my name. It's too long.”

Clementine frowned, “Who says?”

“You did. You shortened all of our names as soon as we were born. Gen. AJ. Diego to Dio. Clementine to Clem.” Gen scrunches up her face. “Luke is already short so it doesn't count.”

Clem opens her mouth to reply when AJ puts a hand on his stomach. “Clem, I'm hungry.”

Clementine sighs and looks to the items on the passenger seat. All they have left is about a half bag of chips. Well, she figures she should try to distract him first. She tosses a magazine back to AJ. “Here. Practice your reading. Gen, no helping.”

Gen shrugs and goes back to shooting the passenger seat. “Take cream and v-vanilla be- beans! Place in sauce...pan. Bring to booil.”

“On second thought, that will probably make you hungrier.” AJ gratefully tosses the magazine aside.

“Well, I could use the distraction.” Gen picks up the magazine, flipping through it for the hundredth time, a bored look on her face.

Clementine looks to the passenger seat again, smiling as she holds the Disco Broccoli toy over her shoulder, putting on her best Disco Broccoli voice. “Hey, there, kids! It's me, Disco Broccoli! Word on the street is you want to eat me! Is that true, do you want to eat me?”

Gen looks up from the magazine, a small smile on her face. Luke smiles for the first time all day and takes the toy from Clementine, showing Dio with a laugh. 

AJ laughs, too. “But we can't eat toys,” AJ replies seriously.

“C'mon, AJ. You're gonna hurt his feelings.”

“Well, my stomach hurts.”

Clem smiles fondly. “When did you get so damn sassy?”

Her smile drops as she grabs the chips and passes them back. “It's about all we got, AJ. Make sure you share.”

“What about you?”

“We'll find something soon, I'm sure.”

“I believe you.”

Clementine smiles sadly at her children. They are all so young but all growing up so fast.

-

Clementine stops the car, looking at the train station in front of her. It’s very clearly falling apart, meaning there hopefully aren’t any living people around to hurt them. Most of the time it was the living you had to look out for. 

“We gonna do it,” AJ asks.

“Yes. We're gonna do it.”

Clementine opens the glove compartment, pulling out the last jar of baby food and the last bottle of formula, putting them in her bag. “Damn, what are the chances of baby food being here,” she mutters to herself.

Gen and AJ get out of the car, their faces set in determination. Clem looks back to the four year old boy with a baby in his arms. She looks to his leg that is slightly bent out of shape and always would be. “Luke, stay in the car with Dio, okay? You have your knife?”  
Luke draws it, showing it to her with a smile.

“Good be ready to use it. Always aim for the head.”

Luke nods, “I know, Clem. It's one of the rules.”

Clementine nods back, satisfied. She opens the trunk of the car, frowning slightly at the hidden toy in the trunk. I guess they really are growing up, she thinks. She shakes her head to clear the thoughts. She finishes with the trunk, pulling out a pry bar and her canteen, before shutting it.

Gen and AJ wait by the front. Gen has her knife in her hand and AJ's own hand is hovering near his belt where he keeps his gun. Just in case. “What does this sign mean?” AJ turns to Clem. “Gen read it to me but what does ‘trespassers’ mean?”

Clementine takes a minute to read the sign herself, a bell hanging to it. “It means that if you're alive and you don't mean anyone any harm than you should ring the bell.”

“Oh.” AJ turns back to it. “Should we ring it?”

“Go ahead. That way we can make sure there aren't any walkers.”

AJ nods, ringing the bell. It's loud. The sound rings, clean and pure. It's followed by a low groan. Only one. Good.

Clem walks up to it, AJ and Gen behind her. She kicks it's knee before stabbing it in the top of it's head. “We're good now.” Clementine scans the yard with a nod.

She approaches Gen who stands by a dead garden. “Maybe people are still alive. People who grow food are alive. Howes. Richmond. Maybe we'll find people.” Gen looks at the dead garden. “We haven't seen people since Javi and Kate.”

Clem sighs, not wanting to lie but also not wanting to disappoint her. “Gen, this garden's pretty overgrown. I don't think we'll find anyone… alive.”

“I know, Clem. I was just… hoping, I guess.” Gen nods. “I'll keep looking.”

AJ stands by a tire swing. It reminds Clem of her treehouse. “Monster trap?” AJ pushes the tire, eyeing it. 

Clem's heart broke at that. All her kids, even little Luke, were capable survivors. But none of them had time to be kids. “It's a swing. You would climb into it and someone would push you.”

“I want to try!” He looks at the unsecured train station. “After we secure this place first.”

“Well, let's go check it out.”

AJ nods enthusiastically. Gen joins them at the door. “What do we do when we go into a new place,” Clem asks, bending down to look her oldest kids in the eyes.

“We check for walkers,” Gen replies quickly.

“And?”

“We check for all exits,” AJ, Gen, and Clem all say in unison.

“Good. Let's go.”

The door wasn't hard to pry open and once inside Clem quickly scans the area. “Only one way out,” AJ says, looking at the door. “Unless there's something behind there.” He points to another door. Clem tries it. Locked.

“And only two walkers... but they're all tied up,” Gen says, eyeing a couple of walkers tied to chairs.

“Look!” AJ turns to Clem and Gen, a can of beans in hand. “Maybe there's more behind that door.”

“That's a security door. Can't pry it.”

“Clementine, what does this mean?” Gen stands beside the couple of walkers tied to chairs. A bottle of poison rests at their feet. 

Gen holds the piece of paper out to Clem. “'We ask that you leave us alone. This is what we wanted.’” 

“We should kill them.” AJ walks over to them. “Look, he has the key to that door. Maybe there's food.”

“But they asked to be left alone when they were people! Please, Clem we're not in any danger right now. Maybe there's another way in’” Gen pleads, a desperate look in her eye.

“Let's look around.”

“What about all your rules? Aim for the head. Never hesitate. Save the last bullet for yourself.” AJ looks at her with disbelief. He has a knife in his hand and he’s giving the walkers an angry stare.

Clem hesitates for a second, listening to both kids. “Let's just see if there's another way in.”

“Okay,” AJ sighs. 

Clementine walks around the train station stopping when she comes across the ticket booth. Gen or AJ could fit in there and unlock the door. “I could go!” Gen stands next to her, seemingly reading her mind.

Clementine looks at the small space, recalling the time when Mike and Bonnie sent her through the small gap in the museum for water. How she got stuck and was very nearly killed. “Sorry, Gen. It's just not safe. They're too dangerous. You have to remember that.”

Clementine unsheathes her knife and stabs the couple, taking the keys once done. She opens the security door, AJ running in. Clem looks back to Gen and ruffles her short, brown hair. “Sorry, kiddo.”

Clem and Gen follow. Clementine scans the room, feeling a small bit of hope when she sees the crib in the corner of the room. Maybe that means they have food for Dio. God knows they need some.

“Bullets!” AJ exclaims, picking up the two rounds on the desk. 

“Are you sure you're okay without a gun, Gen?”

“Of course. Guns are loud. A knife or rock to the head works just as well.” AJ shrugs in response to that, happily loading his gun.

Clem picks up a can. “Spoiled, dammit.” She throws it, the sound of it rolling filling the room.

“Fuck. We never find anything.” AJ stands in the corner of the room by the crib, facing the window. His head was down but his fists were clenched tight in anger.

“You said it kiddo.”

“Oh, I see.” Gen frowns. “Second kid gets to swear, huh? First time I sweared you got so mad, all while Jane laughed.”

“Hey, look.” AJ points to where the can rolled. It gently bumped into the corner of the dirty mattress, drawing their attention to a small grey corner that appears to be a trap door.

“Huh.” Clem pushes the mattress aside, the hope of finding something rekindled. She opens the trapdoor, surprised by the amount of food hidden under the train station. “We could eat for weeks with this. There might even be baby food in here.”

“Maybe we can-” Gen is cut off as a grenade drops into view. Clem slams the trapdoor shut and throws the two kids to the floor, fear causing her to move quickly. She had made promises to too many people. She would not let her kids die because of a stupid mistake.

She rises, her ears ringing. She looks out the window and her fear doubles. Walkers. And she had left Luke in the car with Dio like an idiot. “Shit,” she whispers as the young boy gets out of the car with his knife in hand. He kicks the knee of an approaching walker and stabs his knife through it’s head before limping to Clem, Gen, and AJ who meet him at the door.  
“Walkers. Luke, you can’t leave Dio!” She looks to the approaching walkers. “Okay, no time for that, I’ll yell at you later. Hop on.” Clem grunts with effort as the boy jumps onto her back. “AJ, go to the side and be my eyes. Only fire your gun if you absolutely have to. Gen, with me.”

Together, the two girls take out the two walkers, AJ leaving the third trapped beneath a door. Clem swings the car door open, all three kids jumping in. She throws her knife and bag in the passenger seat. 

Clem slams the car door shut, only to be met with a sickening squelch as it gets caught on a walker. She turns in a panic, searching for her knife. She stretches for it but, unable to reach it, has to get a little creative. She jams the keys into the eyes of the walker, barely noticing the sickening smell of the dead all around her.

She hears a crash in the back of the car followed by the wail of a baby. She finally manages to close the door as all four kids climb into the front of the car, AJ handing Clem her knife which she uses to kill the walker crawling it’s way to it’s next meal.

She shifts the car in gear, “Buckle up,” she hollers as she drives forward, unable to see past the dead in front of her. She crashes into a nearby tree only to see the walker with the keys stuck in it’s eye pinned against the tree in front of her.

She kicks her boot through the windshield, only managing to break it after three kicks, before climbing out of the car and taking the keys back out of the rotting eye. After scurrying back into the car, she reverses the car, slamming her foot onto the gas pedal before turning and going forward. 

She starts to feel a little better.. They are alive. They got out of there. But they hadn’t, not yet. She loses control of the car, the world going black as they spin into oblivion.

She can’t see too well. Her eyes are open only a small bit. But it’s enough to see the arrows flying into the heads of the walkers. People. People were not good, not many of them anyway. Not usually. She shuts her eyes again.

When Clem finds consciousness again she sees someone picking up her children, handing them off, saying words she can’t make out. But she does know one thing. She had lost her children before. And she never wants to again. “Please, please. Don’t take my kids,” she manages weakly before fading once again.  
-  
She wakes in a place she doesn’t know. She’s on a bed, a bunk bed it looks like. She’s in pain. But she does not know where she is. She had been in pain so often over the last eight years of her life, she hopes that maybe she was dreaming about the car crash. Maybe she’s back with Lee. With Jane. With Javi. But that is not true. The pain is there. It is real.

Clem finally seems to regain full consciousness as she shoots up, remembering that she was in a car crash. She is in a new place. She does not know where her kids are. She tries to touch her head, grimacing at the tape that restrains her. She peels it back and gingerly taps the part of her bandage covered in blood. She looks to her left at all the medical supplies. She is okay, as long as they were for her and her kids are alright.

Clem swings her legs off the bed, standing and balancing herself. She was right. There are bunk beds. It looks like some sort of dorm room… not that she had ever been in one. She walks across the room, trying the door. Locked. “Yeah, that would have been to easy,” Clem mutters to herself.

She walks back to the dresser with the first aid kit, searching the drawers for anything useful. The drawers are empty except for a beaten up scrapbook. Clem flips through it, eyebrows raised. The pictures are of kids. Just kids. But still, you can never be too careful.

She sighs at the lack of anything useful, making her way to the small closet next. A box on the top shelf catches her attention. It’s just a grey box but it’s covered in stickers, not unlike the ones that she had on her walkie talkie but bigger ones, of unicorns. It’s pretty, colourful.

Clementine reaches for it, her hands not able to reach the box. She sighs as she grabs a nearby chair. The day when her boys grow taller than her would be years too late. 

Clem gently places the box on the desk before opening it up and searching it. She finds a palette knife, smiling as she swings it. It wasn’t a nail file but it would do. Clem uses it to pick the lock of the door, opening it with a smile.

The hallway is lined with graffiti, a lot of it containing profanity and Ericson. So, Ericson is probably where they are. But, Clementine doesn’t know where that is. It has to be close to the train station, right?

Clem’s thoughts stop as she hears another set of footsteps approaching quickly. She ducks behind a trophy case, knife in hand.

The person is… just a boy with a scarred face. He can’t be older than twelve. He walks up to the opened door before drawing his knife with a panicked expression. Clem steps hesitantly forward at the sight, careful to keep her own knife raised, “I’m right here.”

“Why don’t you put the knife down?” A third voice asks. Clem looks at the arrow pointed at her, considering the knife in her hands.

“Take me to my kids.”

“Put the knife down and I’ll take you to your kids.”

Seeing that the conversation would just go in circles, she complies, dropping the knife. The scar faced boy steps behind the third person as he lowers his bow. “Good. I’m Marlon. The kid hear is Tennessee. We call him Tenn for short.” Marlon and Clementine look to Tenn who looks at the ground. “He, uh, doesn’t talk much.”

“I’m Clementine.” Clem follows Marlon as he walks out of the dorms and into what appears to be a courtyard. There were couches parked in one corner and a watchtower by the gate.

“Yeah, we pulled you out of that wreck and brought you here.” Marlon walks forward.

“The car, was it totaled?”

“Yeah.”

Clem sighs, “Fuck.” She didn't know what to do. She had only about two days worth of food left for Dio and she doubts that they had baby food lying around. “What is this place,” she finally decides to ask.

“Well, as you can probably tell, it used to be a school. Now, it's whatever we want it to be.” Marlon turns to Clem and throws his arms out theatrically. “Welcome to Ericson's Boarding School for Troubled Youth. I know it seems strange, kids run by a kid. But it works.”

“Whatever it takes to survive, I guess,” Clem replies, smiling. The smile drops as she turns to a kid with long brown hair who's staring intently at her. “Um… hi there?” She tries to remain friendly. They still have her kids after all.

The kid runs past her, saying nothing. He climbs into the watchtower. “Um, what's his problem?”

“Well, we haven't seen anything like you in, well, ever. Let's just say we're pretty glad you're awake. Your kids haven't exactly opened up to us. We don't even know there names.”

Clem smiles. They remembered. People were almost always dangerous. People had taken her kids away. People had killed so many of their own. The dead at least don’t fuck with you. “Good-”

“Marlon, walkers!” The kids from earlier screams from the tower, no doubt attracting more walkers. Clem grimaces at the rookie mistake. It is the eighth year into the apocalypse, how are these kids still alive?

“Do you need help with that,” Clem asks, reaching for a knife that wasn't with her.

“No. Knowing Willy it's probably a couple of grandma walkers and a squirrel. I'll deal with this. Your kids are with Louis.”

“Louis?”

“Oh, right. Just follow the music.” Marlon runs off before explaining. “Willy, where's your damm weapon,” is the last thing Clem hears before she reenters the school.

-

Upon closer inspection, the school seems secure. The hallways are blocked with tons of furniture and the walls seem pretty secure. Of course there is the problem with food. But the people don't seem bad. 

Clem shakes her head to clear the thoughts. She hadn't been conscious long and often first impressions can be deceiving. Like the dairy.

She cocks her head to one side as she hears the music Marlon was talking about. It sounds like a...piano. What the hell?

She follows the sound until she's met with, “You little motherfucker!” A redheaded girl storms out of the music room, clasping her hand close to her. “Hey, it's about time you woke up! One of your boys just bit!”

Clem knows it's AJ right away. He had not been able to be grabbed from behind since an incident with a walker. “I'm so sorry. It's been a long time since he's been around people. He's been through a lot.”

“Well, so have we all. You don't see any of us trying to take a chunk out of any of you!” The girls walks off, muttering curses to herself.

Clem sighs and shakes her head. She walks over to the door and looks in. A boy, he must be Louis, sits at the piano. Luke sits next to him on the bench, smiling at the sound. Gen holds Dio, standing by Louis's other shoulder. Only AJ remains a few feet back.

“Clem!” AJ runs at her, meeting her halfway across the room. He throws her arms around her and Gen is only a step behind. 

“I really thought you might have died for real this time.” Gen holds Dio in one hand and has her other arm wrapped around Clem's neck. “Just like everyone else.”

“You don't have to worry about me. Ever.” Clem sighs in relief. All four of her kids are here. They are not dead. They are safe. Maybe she has finally met people who aren't sick bastards. But, still, she couldn't get her hopes up.

“That girl outside says you bit her, is that true?”

AJ nods.

“I know you don't like it when people come up behind you. I know it's been a really long time since you were around good people but you can't be doing that.”

“I didn't mean to. She came up behind me. How did you even know it was me?”

“Mother's intuition. Luke, are you okay?” The boy nods smiling at his mother figure. “Gen, how’s Dio?” Gen opens her mouth to reply when she’s interrupted. 

“You're not dead, that's good.” The boy at the piano, Louis, turns around, giving Clem a better view of him. His dreads frame his face and brown eyes which are alight with amusement. He has nearly a million freckles across his face and he wears a brown trecnch coat which, Clem assumes, is much like her hat. He never takes it off.

“I watched AJ, Gen, Luke, and Dio.” He points to each kid in turn, making sure it’s the right kid. After all, he had only heard their names once, just now. “For you. They wouldn't tell me their names so I was pretty tempted to name them myself.” Clem frowns at him. “But I held off,” he adds quickly.

“Thank you. I hope they weren't too much trouble.”

“No problem. Well, not NO problem. But at least I got off lighter compared to Ruby.” He turns back to the piano, starting the song he was playing again. “Oh! Totally forgot. Marlon left your bag in here somewhere.”

Clem scans the room until she spots it leaning against a chair. She watches as Gen puts Dio into a pulled out drawer that the other kids must have set up for him

Clem walks back over to her kids, bag in hand. Luke hops off the bench and limps over to them with a grimace. Clem opens the bag and pulls out the jar of baby food and the bottle of formula from earlier. Good. It's still there. Next, she takes out her own knife and ratty baseball cap which she places on her head with a smile.

She then proceeds to take out her arsenal. She hands the slingshot and pouch to Gen and the gun to AJ, causing Louis to stumble over the keys. “Um.”

With a satisfied smile she pulls out all the knives at the bottom of the pack, handing a big one and small one to each child, besides Dio of course. “Double um?”

“Clem, it’s dirty.” AJ looks at his gun.

“Clean it.”

“Maybe later. Back you go.”

“Where it belongs.”

“Dude, that can’t be a good idea. You have three young kids carrying around a damn arsenal? What if someone gets hurt?”

“I guarantee all four of my kids can handle themselves better than you can. Even the baby.” Clem crosses her arms over chest, a smug smirk on her face.

“Hey!”

Louis looks offended for only a second before replacing the look with an easy smile. “Just when you thought you’ve seen it all.” Louis turns back to the piano. “You guys do your thing, I guess.” He starts to play the song from before.

Luke limps back over to the bench and climbs onto it. Clem steps forward, “Don’t you know any others?”

Louis stops playing and smiles, “Well, there is one. But you’re armed.” He looks at Luke who is cleaning his knife next to him. He shoots Clem a look before he starts to sing.

“Oh my darling, oh my darling,  
Oh my DARLIIIING, Clementine.  
You are gone and lost forever,  
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.”

She is slightly annoyed at the song but she takes one look at Luke and Gen’s smiling faces and she can’t bring herself to stop him. She steps forward, a slight smile on her face, saying nothing.

“Light she was and like a fairy,  
And her shoes were number nine.  
Herring boxes, without topses,  
Sandals were for Clementine.”

He drops his hands, throwing AJ a wink, causing him to giggle. “What do you guys think?” Clementine steps forward and puts her hand on Gen’s shoulder.

“I like him. He’s funny. Like you said my dad was.” Clementine laughs an honest to god laugh at that, Louis joining her after he processes what exactly Gen said.

“She means the music, dummy!” Luke looks up from cleaning his knife, he sheathes it, and sticks his tongue out at Gen. “I like it. Gen says you used to listen to music sometimes at Howes before I was born but she says that was different.”

“Well, what about you AJ? What do you think?”

“I don’t know. It’s loud.”

“It is.”

“Loud is bad.Noise bring monsters. That’s why you told me to ring the bell.”

“Loud isn’t always bad.”

Louis slides down a bit, knocking Luke off the bench. Clem takes a quick step forward, concerned about his leg. His limp. He laughs from his place on the floor, erasing the worry. Louis rubs the back of his head. “Sorry. Here, come press this key, AJ.”

AJ looks to Clem for reassurance which she can’t give. Even if it turns out these people are okay and they let them stay, they wouldn’t be able to stay long. She didn’t want them getting attached. “It’s okay AJ, you don’t have to.”

AJ steps behind Clem as Marlon walks into the room, “Have you seen Rosie,” he asks Louis.

“No, I haven’t.” Marlon turns to Clem. “Hate to ask, you just coming to and all, but, you up for taking out a few deadheads?”

Clem nods, her expression of peace quickly replaced by one of determination. “Luke stay here with Dio, be ready, just in case they get in. AJ, Gen, with me.” The two older kids nod and get ready to follow her out.

“Louis, you too. Get your ass in gear,” Marlon says before leaving the room. Louis gets up and looks to Clem with a shrug before the four kids walk out of the school together.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, let me know if this chapter is too long. I was going to split it in half but then decided not to. I just want to know if people prefer shorter chapters. Sorry in advance for any grammatical errors, I wrote this at midnight and I don't always catch all errors when I edit. Thanks! Enjoy!

Clementine follows Marlon to the gate, Gen and AJ trailing behind her. A blonde girl she hadn’t noticed before stands there, silent. “Rosie! Where the hell is she,” Marlon mutters before turning around and looking at Louis. “You give her her weapon back?”

She replies by drawing the sharp blade and showing it off. Marlon nods, “Good we’re gonna need you to put it to use. We’ve got a hunting party out there trying to get back inside. Need our help to clear the way. Seems to be a few more than usual these past couple days.”

The blonde at the gate tenses at the last sentence, turning to face Clementine. “It’s almost like something drew their attention. Something like, I don’t know, an explosion or a car crash,” the girl says sarcastically.

“Vi,” Marlon says, agitated.

“What? There’s got to be some explanation.”

Clem frowns at her but knows it’s unfair to be angry. It just seems like her and cars weren’t meant to mix. Hadn’t she almost killed Javi when she last tried to steal a truck? “Look, I didn’t know any of that was going to happen. I’m sorry if I caused you any trouble.” Because, so far, you don’t seem like murderers, thieves, or cannibals.

The girl seems a little surprised by her apology, looking away from Clem to stare at the floor until Louis clears his throat from next to Clem. “Hello, Clementine. I’m Violet, nice to meet you.”

“What he said.” Violet turns back to the gate.

“All right boys and girls,” Willy screams from the watchtower. “They’re starting to fill in!”

Violet opens the gate, “Come on!”

“Careful out there,” Marlon warns, drawing an arrow and following Violet.

Louis steps forward next, “Don’t mind Violet. She, uh, grows on you. I promise.” As he says the last two words, he lifts what appears to be a… chair leg? With nails. Clem gives him a questioning look. “Oh, this? It’s a chair leg. I call it ‘Chairles’.” He gives her another smile before following Marlon.

Clem decides that Gen’s earlier assessment of him being like Omid was… mostly accurate. Except this Louis seemed a little more… idiotic? She sighs as she ushers Gen out the gate, closing it behind her. “Clem, lemme help!” AJ shouts, holding the rusted gate with one hand.

“Watch our backs, be our eyes.” This is a somewhat… controlled environment, so this is probably the best possible place to teach Gen.

“Okay, you can count on me.”

“I know I can.” 

Clem and Gen walk forward together, Gen holds her slingshot close to herself. “Nuh-uh, kid. Knife.”

Gen nods, “Okay.”

“Like I taught you.”

Clem watches as Violet slices through a walkers head with a meat cleaver. Louis disposes of another one, whacking it over the head with… Chairles. They’re capable, at least. “Gen! Monsters!” Clem looks up to see two walkers approach.

“Go for the knee first,” Clem says as she kicks the knee of one down, causing it to drop to the ground. “Then go for the head.” She stabs it through the top of the head, watching Gen do the same.

“Whoa! Nice one, Clementine!” A voice shouts from the right. Clem looks up to see Louis staring at her. “Could use a little finesse, though. Watch and learn!” Louis turns away from them to call a walker, “Hey! Over here! Follow me!”

His shouting gets the attention of the corpse as it follows him to a marked area. Louis draws a knife and cuts the rope on a nearby tree. It causes a rock to fall on the walker, sending blood and bits everywhere. “And THAT’S how you school a walker. There’s a whole bunch of traps lying around for these asshats. There all marked so keep a lookout.”

“That is so cool!” Gen jumps up. “Please, Clem, we have to try one!”

Clem smiles at the girl’s enthusiasm. “Maybe later, first I need to see you do this.”

“Okay,” Gen sighs, walking forward and taking down another walker. “Y’know, Jane’s method was pretty cool but I think dropping a rock on these fuckers would have been cooler.”

Clem smiles, “Swear.”

“Uh-uh. Too late now that I know AJ can swear.” Gen smiles as Clem takes down the last two around them.

“Looks like they made it back in one piece. C’mon, we’ll meet them halfway,” Marlon says as lights streak by. They must be torches. Clem and Gen follow him farther away from the school.

Three more walkers approach them and one walks through the marked area. Clem sighs, “Okay, go ahead.”

“Yes!” Gen laughs as she cuts the rope with her knife, her eyes glowing as a log flys through the air and slams into the walker, pinning it to the tree. Clementine is glad to see her enjoy it but it does seem a little wasteful to her. It is only one walker and it probably takes a while to set the traps all up again. “Okay, I’ll go this way and take down that one. You go the other way.”

Clem smiles as the girl takes charge. When she’s all grown she’ll be just like her parents. A leader and smart like Christa. But at the same time capable and light-hearted like Omid. “Alright, Gen.” It doesn’t take them long to dispose of the last of the walkers.

“Yo! Over here!” Marlon calls Clem, Gen, and Violet over who quickly respond. The hunting party is three more kids. Clem knows that Marlon said that they’re all kids but it’s still a little shocking. Duck was bit. Sarah was, to be frank, stupid. And it wasn’t her fault. She was just sheltered. Mari had been shot, Clem knew her for, what, ten minutes. And Gabe? Let’s just say that every single kid she knew had not fared too well in the apocalypse. So, it’s surprising that a group of kids managed to not only survive but thrive.

“Nice timing. We’re not gonna be able to hold them off much longer,” Violet says to the hunting party.

“No kidding,” a redhead replies, a rabbit swung over her shoulder. “Where’d all these walkers come from?”

“We can talk when we’re back inside the gate. Keep an eye out for stragglers,” Marlon says, leading the party back to the gate. 

Gen walks backwards while Clem walks forward, never looking at the same spot. Like Christa taught her. She ends up falling in step with Violet, an awkward silence falling over them. “You know, you’re not half bad considering the circumstances and all…”

Gen momentarily looks at them, eyes wide, before turning back to watch behind them. Clem smiles, “Thanks.”

“Let’s finish these guys off. We don’t need them attracting anymore walkers back to the school.” Violet runs off, taking a walker out with her sharpened meat cleaver.

Clem looks to her left, a walker crawling towards her with an arrow in it’s back. Gen walks forward next to her, “She’s nice. And they’re are none behind us.”

Clem nods, already taking down the crawling walker. She looks up to see a boy from the hunting party pointing his bow at a walker sitting by a tree. “Piece of shit,” he mutters, going to retrieve his arrow. “I hate this clean up bullshit,” he continues, too caught up in his rant to notice the walker approaching from behind. These are the kinds of mistakes she sees that makes her wonder how they all survived this long.

She’s already running as Gen shouts a warning, the walker grabbing the boy from behind. She tries to use the momentum from running to stab the walker but instead misses, going through it’s cheek. The walker turns towards her, momentarily stunning her. Gen cries out, aiming a rock from her slingshot when a pitbull approaches, clamping the walkers head in it’s jaws and biting down, covering it’s maw in blood.

Clem freezes, mouth hanging open. Gen steps in front of her and whispers, “Don’t worry. It’s okay.” But all Clem can see is Sam, baring his teeth even after she fed him. 

The dog growls at her until Marlon shouts, “Good girl!” He runs over and pets the dog. “Shh, shh. Hey, hey. It’s alright, girl. It’s alright.” He looks to Clem, “Hey, I see you and Rosie are making friends.”

Clem stands there, trying to calm herself down as Gen steps forward, “She had a bad experience with a dog once. It bit her, almost got her killed.” Gen tugs on Clem’s sleeve. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re fine.”

Marlon smiles, almost disbelief on his face that this girl could kill walkers with no fear but dogs scare her. “Well, Rosie can help you get over that. She’s about as cuddly as they come.” He frowns at the blood on her face. “Except when she’s mauling walkers, that is.” Rosie barks in response, almost as if she understands.

The boy from earlier walks up to them sheepishly, “That walker came out of nowhere.” Clem nods, trying to hide her annoyance. You just have to listen, then you will hear them.

“All right, fun’s over. Let’s get inside, I’m fucking starving,” Marlon calls out to everyone outside the gate.

Clem turns to Gen with a smile, “He’s not the only one.”

“I guess you weren’t lying when you told us you’d find something.”

“Do I ever lie,” Clem asks as they walk.

Gen opens her mouth to reply when Marlon asks, “How’d it go out there?”

The boy from earlier looks away, “How do you think it went?”

The redhead scowls, “Be nice, Aasim.”

“The safezone’s nearly dry. We could barely find enough for tonight,” Aasim quickly defends himself. “We’re gonna have to scout out farther if we want to find food for the winter.”

Marlon looks at Clem before frowning, “We’ll talk about this later.”

“Bullshit. We should talk about this right now.” Aasim stops himself in front of Marlon. 

“I said later, dammit.” Marlon pushes past Aasim. Clem and Gen look at each other. Maybe this group is more broken than she thought. Broken people were not people she wants her kids to be around. And if they’re having problems with food…

“Still standing, I see,” Louis’s words quickly snap her out of her thoughts, Gen smiling at his voice.

“Your traps are cool.”

“That’s god’s honest. You know, I think I like you, kid.”

“My name’s Gen, not kid.”

“Well, excuse me, Gen.”

Violet falls into step beside them and Louis smiles at her, “I’d call that a B-plus performance there, Vi. You’ve done better.” 

Violet turns away and sticks up her middle finger, “Fuck off.” Violet’s crudeness makes Clem smile. Maybe they would get on better than she originally thought. If they stay, that is.

Louis puts a hand on his heart, “B-minus, then. Now, Clem here?” He turns to her, “That was a solid A. A-plus even. Don’t be jealous, Vi.” Louis nudges her arm. “Be better.” Louis, on the other hand, she wasn’t so sure about. He is funny, yes, and he seems capable. But he also seems like he’s a little too laidback. Clem can’t recall anyone she met before who was like that.

“Hey, what about me,” Gen pouts.

Clem has dealt with kids for a long time, “A-plus, Gen. And you too, Violet. I don’t know what Louis is talking about.”

Both girls smile at Clem’s words as Louis frowns, “You’re delusional.” The four of them are silent for the rest of the way to the gates.

-

AJ sits at a picnic table, hopping off to meet Gen and Clem halfway. He gives his older sister a hug. He knows that Clem is capable but Gen has made a few mistakes in the past. “They’re pretty good,” he says after pulling away.”With the monsters.”

“C’mon y’all food’s nearly-” Marlon, who put his hand on AJ’s shoulder, is cut off when AJ slams his elbow into Marlon’s groin. Marlon groans, doubling over in pain as AJ looks at him with horror. He runs off, leaving Clem and Gen with Marlon.

“I’m so sorry about that. It happens sometimes.” Just because she didn’t exactly trust them didn’t meant they deserved to get elbowed in the balls.

“You can’t walk up behind him,” Gen adds, looking at Clem with a small smile. Clem shakes her head slightly and it drops.

“H-he’s a jumpy little guy.”

“You, uh, gonna be okay?” Gen smiles again until Clem shoots her another look, telling her not to anger him further.

Marlon stands up straight, letting out a long exhale. He holds his stomach as he explains, “Look, he can’t go around punching people in the… you know… and expect them to eat at the same table.” Marlon looks at AJ who meets his eyes before gasping and turning back around.

“I’ll talk to him.” Clem turns to Gen. “Go get your brothers, okay?”

“Are you sure you don’t need me to…” she trails off, glancing at Marlon.

“Not this time.” Gen nods and walks off.

“Hey,” Clem says, approaching AJ at the gate.

“Hey.”

“What are you looking at?”

“What’s that bird doing?” AJ looks at a crow with disgust. Of course, it is eating one of the walkers they had killed earlier. She doesn’t blame him.

“It’s a scavenger.”

“Well, that scavager should stop. That’s gross.”

“Sca-VEN-ger.”

“Okay, scavenger. What does that mean?”

“It means that it eats things that are already dead.”

“Clem, I did it again. It was an accident, though. I didn’t mean to hit him.” AJ looks out at the dead walkers, a frown on his face.

Clem looks at him with sad eyes. Her kids all had their quirks. Like, Gen wouldn’t use a gun. Luke couldn’t walk so well. But neither of them have problems with living people. It’s only AJ. “I know.”

“I didn’t know it was Marvin.”

Clem smiles, “Marlon.”

“Right.” 

“AJ, I’m sure they’ll forgive you. But we should go talk to them.”

“But I don’t think they like me. Gen’s so nice, even though people are scary. And Luke and Dio are so little everyone can’t help but like them. But I keep hurting them, and I don’t mean to.”

“AJ, they don’t know you. They don’t really know me, Gen, or Luke either. I guarantee that once we introduce you to everyone, they’ll like you.”

“I don’t WANT to know them. We never stay long. NEVER. So, why should I get to know them?”

Clem feels guilty, she caused this. She always kept moving, kept running. Never stop long enough for the dead to catch up. And the result is this. “AJ, listen. The car is gone, we haven’t eaten for days, and all that’s outside is walkers. You’re right, we might not end up staying long because of Dio but let’s stay for as long as we can.” She leans forward, “At least until we eat.”

AJ nods in understanding, “Okay.”

“Let’s go make some friends. We don’t need to talk to Marlon right away.”

Clem leads AJ over to Willy and the other boy who was with the hunting party first. “Hey, I’m Clementine.”

“Mitch.”

“Hey, what are you doing,” AJ asks the older boy.

“I’m making my own weapon.” Mitch smiles. “You want to see something cool, little guy?”

“Yeah, I want to see!” Mitch smiles and flips the small knife over his fingers before throwing it up and catching it. It is a cool little trick but how it helps you survive? Well, it doesn’t, really. Clem shrugs, I guess they have to do something to pass the time.

“That’s how you fuck up some monsters.”

“Yeah! Fuck up monsters.” Willy looks at Mitch and bursts into uncontrollable laughter.

“That little dude said fuck!” Mitch laughs along with him.

Clem smiles, shaking her head as she leads AJ over to Louis and another boy. “Hey, Clementine. AJ. This is Omar… excuse me. Chef Omar.”

Omar rolls his eyes at Louis’s antics, and quite frankly, Clem can’t blame him. “No, it’s not done yet. Oh, and nice to meet you.”

“Omar’s a perfectionist. One flavour out of place and he’s grumpy for a week,” Louis explains. This doesn’t make much sense to Clem, but then again she hadn’t eaten a hot meal in a long time. “I’ll let you know when it’s done,” Louis assures them.

Aasim is sitting right next to them, writing in some sort of book. “Hey,” she says. No answer.

“Helloooooo?”

AJ seems to snap him out of his trance. He looks up from his book, “Oh, hey. Clementine, right?”

She nods, “Aasim?”

“What are you writing,” AJ asks, not understanding why anyone would willingly subject themselves to the torture that is reading and writing. 

“What happened today. I chronicle everything.”

“Like a diary? Why?”

“I prefer to think of it as a… history book. You know, ‘those who don’t learn from the past’ and all that.”

Clem nods when another thought suddenly crosses her mind. If she’s even going to consider staying here for even a day she needs to know how broken exactly is this group. “You seemed really mad at Marlon back there.” 

“He keeps pulling back the safe zone, fewer places to hunt, fewer things to eat.” It seems like a logical argument. But, why would you even need a safezone? Nowhere is safe from the dead which means Marlon is protecting them from. Shit. The living.

Her thoughts are interrupted as AJ starts reading the book. After making AJ return it they leave the boy to his… history book.

AJ runs over to Violet and Tenn next, Clem close behind. She looks at the crosses on the piles of dirt. Minnie and Sophie. “A graveyard? You guys still do that?”

Violet turns to her, “Not really. This is where we buried Tenn’s sisters belongings. They died around this time last year so we’re… paying our respects.”

“We should do that too.”

“I think that would be a very nice thing to do, AJ.” It is nice that they still remember people who died. Clem can think of so many people who died and she doesn’t even remember the names of some of them.

Violet hands AJ a bunch of flowers and he crouches next to Tenn who thanks him. 

“The only two left to talk to are Marlon and the girl I bit. I’m scared, Clem.”

“Don’t worry, AJ.” Clem pauses, thinking of what Lee said to Ben when he messed up and got Katjaa and Duck killed. “Be honest and tell them why you did it.”

AJ nods, approaching Ruby, “Um, I’m sorry I bit you. When I get scared, I do that sometimes, but I don’t mean to. I’m really sorry and I hope you’re hand is okay.” 

For a second, it seems like the apology didn’t work but eventually she sighs and smiles, “We can all get a little crazy when we’re scared, it’s alright, sug.” AJ beams at Clem who gives him a thumbs up. “I’m ready to talk to Marlon, Clem!”

“Alright,”

Clem eyes the dog sitting between Marlon and another girl but she’s forced to look at the other girl as she introduces herself, “Clementine, right? I’m Brody.”

“I heard a lot about your kids. Particularly this one. He’s a, uh, sweet little fella.” 

Although, she’s glad that she’s being nice, for AJ’s sake, she can’t help but wonder why this girl won’t call them out on it. Cut the bullshit. But she decides to play along anyway, “I’m the lucky one. They’re all just naturally good.”

“Naturally good. That’s rare stuff.”

Clem puts a hand on AJ’s shoulder. He looks up at her with fear and she reassures him with a slight nod. “I’m really sorry I hit you. Please let us stay here and eat dinner and not get eaten by monsters?”

Marlon and Brody exchange a look, “Don’t sweat it, buddy. You can make it up to me by teaching me your technique. You are a regular heavyweight. You’ve earned your supper.” AJ smiles at this, proud with himself for overcoming his fear.

Clem looks around, spotting Gen, Luke, and Dio who sit at a picnic table. “Come on, AJ.”

“Here, pass him to me.” Clem takes Dio from Gen, pulling the jar of baby food out of her pocket. She read somewhere that around six months is when you could feed them baby food with formula. She feeds him half the jar, saving the other half for tomorrow, before feeding him a third of the formula. She knows that it’s probably not enough but she doesn’t have much left.

“Do we have enough for him,” Gen asks, worried. She is not new to finding baby food either. “Will we have to go back? Last time we ran out of baby food we went back to Howes, that’s what you said. Do we have to go back to Richmond? To Howes?”

“Don’t be an idiot! You saw Richmond,” Luke says. “All that’s there is dead.”

“And we haven’t been back to Howes in years. There’s probably nothing there,” Clem says, gently.

“We’re going to have to leave, then. Where are we going to go,” AJ asks. “Are we going to go further-”

AJ stops talking as Louis, Marlon, and Ruby approach, “Stew’s done. Dinner is served.”

“Thanks,” Clem says, painting a smile on her face. She doesn’t want them to know they plan on leaving, just in case she is right about there being dangerous people past their safezone. “I can’t remember the last time we had a hot meal.”

She tastes the stew, “This is really good,” she says, surprised. She looks to see her kids digging in, Ruby eyeing all three of them with disgust clear on her face. Loui burps and Clem smiles, grateful, as her attention goes to him. Until AJ lets out a burp of his own.

Well, she can’t let him be the only one, can she? She burps herself, almost laughing when Gen and Luke laugh at her. Louis lets out another burp, Luke joining him. “Okay, enough,” Marlon exclaims.

“Thank yo-” Ruby’s cut off by Marlon’s long belch. She stands up, “Ugh, Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” AJ replies, brightly. 

Clem gently rocks Dio as AJ looks into his empty bowl. “Clem,” he says sadly. She looks at him before sliding her own bowl to him. She’ll find something later. She can go a long time without food but they need it. They’re still growing.

“Just make sure you share.”

“What about you,” Luke asks. “You didn’t eat in the car either. And if…” he looks at Marlon and Louis. “You know. Then you might not eat for a while.”

“Remember what I said in the car?”

“You’ll find something.”

“And do I ever lie to you?”

Luke shakes his head. “If you’re sure.”

Marlon and Louis listen to the exchange in silence. They look at each other before Louis slides his bowl over to Clem. “You can have mine, I’m full.”

“You don’t have to.” She looks at his serious expression. From what she had seen and heard, she knows it’s probably a rare one. “If you’re sure.”

“Of course.”

“Thank you.”

After a few moments AJ pats his stomach, “All done.”

Clem smiles at him, “Me too.”

“Now, what?”

“I’ll tell you what.” Louis flips his chair, a smile on his face yet again. “Time for something, very important.” He points to a deck of cards in his hand.

“Oh, god. Goodnight,” Broday says with disgust.

“Violet, it’s time!” Louis completely ignores Brody. 

Violet makes her way over as Marlon asks, “What’s the game tonight, Lou?”

He smiles at his friend. “War. The oldest game around. A game played by man and beast alike. The only game there is.”

Okay, unnecessarily dramatic. Despite herself, Clem can’t help but smile. “The only game I ever played had a lot less people.” She doesn’t mention that she doesn’t even remember how to play that, that’s how long ago it was.

“Well, it’s easy. Everyone gets a stack of cards, everyone flips one over. Highest card wins.”

“And the winner gets to ask Clem a question.” Suddenly this doesn’t seem so fun. She doesn’t exactly like the idea of people prying into her past. Her glare tells Louis that. “What? I want to get to know you. We all do.”

Violet and Marlon nod. “Okay,” she sighs. “What if I win?”

“Then you get to ask us one. It’s only fair.”

AJ, seemingly unimpressed with Louis’s theatric, turns to Gen. “You have to meet Tenn! He’s really nice.”

“Wait!” Clem calls out, worry in her voice as the two run off. They don’t go far, just to the other picnic table but still. She doesn’t like not being able to see them.

“It’s probably for the best. You guys probably all need a break from each other.” Marlon looks at her, trying to reassure her with a smile.

“You’re probably right.” She sighs. “I guess it is good to see them act like kids again. What about you, Luke?”

“The first rule is never go alone. And the second rule is don’t trust new people. I have to stay here to help you interrogate them.”

Clem wraps Dio up tight in his blanket, the same one Gen had all those years ago, and puts him down on the table, letting Luke climb into her lap. Marlon smiles, “Louis, if you would?”

Violet takes the first round, looking at Clem with a gentle expression. “So, um, their parents. None of them really look related to you and they’re all really young. So, uh, hat happened there?”

Surprisingly, this is a question Clem does not mind answering. Yes, it stirs up bad memories but in the long run, they couldn’t use the information against her. “Well, let’s see. Gen is about… seven? Who can tell, right? Her parents I met close to the beginning. Christa and Omid. Omid got shot protecting me. And Christa, well, she could be alive out there somewhere. Met AJ’s parents next. His dad was shot and his mom died shortly after he was born. Dio’s parents, walkers.” She stops talking. Thinking about Luke and Jane brought back bad memories.

“My dad drowned. Clem tried to save him. My mom shot herself after I was born,” Luke finishes for her. Violet looks away, Marlon and Louis are wide eyed. Clem never saw the point in lying to her children. They asked a question, she told them the answer. All three of them know how their parents died.

Violet’s quick to start the next round. “Hey, I win!” Clem exclaims.

“Hey, you do. So, what do you want to know,” Louis asks, smile on his face.

There are so many things. She decides on the thing she wants to know most, “So, what’s with this ‘safezone’ I hear so much about? Is it to protect you from the dead?”

Marlon looks away, “Yes. We lost a few to the dead last year. Out past the safezone.”

Clem frowns. She doesn’t know he’s lying for sure but she suspects that something isn’t exactly… right. She’s just not exactly sure what she suspects.

“Booyah!” That means Louis wins. He looks to Clem but says nothing.

“C’mon, spit it out.” Violet tells him.

“So, uh, ever, uh… Ever have a boyfriend.”

“Oh my god!” Violet puts a hand on her head.

“What? It happens. Perfectly valid question. You can ask me if I’ve ever had a girlfriend. I haven’t, by the way.”

“I’m sure she’s real surprised by that one.”

Clem frowns, uncomfortable. “No, never.”

“Never?”

Luke perks up, “Hey! You’re lying. Gen told me about-” 

Clem claps a hand over his mouth. “He was dying, that doesn’t count.”

Louis raises his eyebrows, “Okay, come on. Story time.”

Clem fidgets, “Maybe another time.”

Louis opens his mouth but Marlon cuts him off, “Everyone’s entitled to their privacy.” Clem quickly starts the next round which Marlon wins.

“So, Clem. You can’t have been alone this whole time? Who used to take care of you?” Unlike the previous questions, this one hurts. Clem thinks back on all the people who took care of her. Lee. Omid. Christa. Kenny. Jane. Javi. 

“Well, when all this started a man named Lee took care of me.”

“What he teach you?”

“Lots of stuff.”

“Most important thing?”

Clem smiles, remembering his last words, touching her bun. “To keep my hair short, which, as you can see, is a rule I have.” She points to Gen’s short hair.

“How did that help you survive?”

“Well, a cannibal dairy farmer, long story, grabbed it and that made Lee realize it probably wasn’t safe around walkers. And he was right.”

Luke laughs, “I remember that story, I liked the part where Lee and Mark escaped the bandits. Huh, I never realized the story was true.” Luke pauses and his eyes widen. “Wait, you’ve told some pretty weird stories, are they all true?”

Uncomfortable silence falls over the group again as the next round starts. Clem wins again, asking a question about the grossest food they ever ate to keep the game light. Which works until the cannibal dairy farmers come up again. That round is followed by a particularly morbid question from Violet, with an honest answer from Clementine. After that round Luke loses interest and goes to see what the others are doing.

“So,” Marlon starts, being the winner of the current round, “Luke walks with a limp. What happened there?”

Clem frowns. “Um. It was stupid. It was when he was a baby. I took Gen with me to scavenge in a house. Thought it was time she learned, you know? AJ was on my back and she was carrying Luke. She was standing by the stairs when she got attacked by a walker. She was too scared to pull the trigger so she backed up and fell down the stairs. She was okay but Luke broke his leg pretty bad. He was lucky he didn’t break his neck, but still. It never healed right.” It is the reason why she’ll probably never fire a gun again, why she prefers her knife.

Louis wins the next round, “Ever… Actually, nevermind.”

“Ask the question.”

“It’s not a fun question.”

“Ask,” she demands.

“Ever have to kill someone you loved?”

That shut her up. She had killed many people. But only two of them she loved. Lee and Kenny. Still, it seems like two too many. “Lee. He didn’t want to turn so I made sure he didn’t.” She sits there, wrapped up in her own memories, uncomfortable silence once again falling over the group. She stands up. “I think I’m done playing for today.”

“Yeah,” Louis replies, looking slightly ashamed.

“C’mon. Gen, AJ, Luke, say goodnight.”

After saying their goodbyes they got up and started following her to their room, Marlon walking with them. “Sorry about that, Louis can be a dumbass sometimes. He’s my best friend so I can legally call him that.”

He holds the door open for them, “Get some rest. Feel human for a night. Tomorrow we can talk about making this more permanent.”

Clem smiles at him, momentarily forgetting her lack of trust, “Thanks.” She likes them so far, it has been a full day and no one has set off any real alarm bells. Maybe she finally stumbled upon a group of normal people. A feeling of hope settles over her as she enters their dorm room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I wanted to keep the beginning mostly the same to introduce the school and everything, but after this chapter the plot might be a little different. Generally, it will still be the same like with the Delta and stuff but yeah. Just a heads up! Hope you enjoy!

Clem leads her three kids into the room she was previously locked in. For the first time in what seems like ever, Dio is fast asleep in her arms. It’s almost like he knows they’re safe now. She walks across the room and opens the drawer she found the scrapbook in, placing a pillow inside it before putting Dio down and covering him with a small blanket. 

“No walkers,” Gen says.

“And only one exit.” AJ points to the door they just entered.

Clem puts her hat down on the desk and smiles, “Yup. Just how we like it.”

“This box has soo many colours!” AJ says, looking into the sticker covered box Clem had left there earlier.

“It must have belonged to an artist. They must have lived in this room.”

“What’s an artist?”

“Um, someone who colours a lot. Draws. Does pictures.”

“Like Tenn?”

Clem freezes, she doesn’t know if Tenn is an artist… but if AJ says he is then, “Yeah, like Tenn.”

“That’s cool. We’ve met a lot of people, but never an artist,” Gen smiles, thinking back on the different people she either remembers herself or people Clementine told her about.

Clem thinks hard, too. She doesn’t remember ever meeting anyone who draws well. But maybe she had? She clears the thoughts. She can’t remember so why bother living in the past? “I think I want to be an artist, too.” AJ picks up a green pencil crayon.

Luke climbs into bed, “You have fun with that, AJ. Clem! This thing is so soft… what is it?”

Clem smiles, “A bed?”

“Oh, right. Been a while.” Luke rolls over with a smile.

“Yeah, yeah. I know how much you all loved sleeping in the car.”

Gen frowns, “You should have burned Luke’s socks.”

The kids are interrupted as the door swings open, Violet walking into the room. Her eyes widen in shock as she sees them in the room. “Oh, shit. I-I didn’t know Marlon set you up in this room.” She swings the door shut with a small smile. “I just wanted to grab something. From the closet.”

Clem has a feeling she knows what Violet’s looking for and is only proven correct when Violet looks at the top shelf and frowns, “Where the hell is it?” She turns around and sighs, “Oh.”

“Is this what you’re looking for?”

“Yeah. It belonged to Sophie.” She takes a look at Gen’s confused expression and tries to explain. “Uh, Tenn’s sister. He was asking for more art supplies and stuff, so I was going to…” Violet steps forward, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Sorry, we didn’t know,” Clem has kept her fair share of relics over the years, hell Lilly’s hair thingies were still in her hair, so she knows that it probably isn’t the best to see someone else using it.

“No, no. It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. Honestly, it’s just been sitting there collecting dust for a year. If AJ wants to play with it...that’s fine.” Violet turns, starting to walk away.

Gen shoots Clem a look and she nods, agreeing. They should return it. AJ looks between the two of them, getting pretty good at reading their facial expressions and sighs, “Tenn can have it back. It’s not mine.”

Violet smiles a real, happy smile. It seems like she doesn’t do it often and it’s nice when it finally comes out. “Thanks, buddy. Tenn just wanted it because it’s his sister’s and all.” She hesitates. “But I don’t mind waiting. Feel free to finish your drawing.” AJ smiles, turing back to it with Gen at his shoulder.

“Huh. I see you’re, um, settling in,” Violet observes the hat, backpack, and sleeping baby all sitting by the dresser.

“Is that okay?” Clem can tell that the twins meant a lot to her and she doesn’t want to make Violet uncomfortable. It’s hard to find people you trust and even harder when you lose them.

“Sure, I guess.” Violet strides over to the bunk that Clem was tied to. For a second, it seems like she’ll say nothing more. “You know, I always liked this room. Sophie used to have, like, paintings and shit on the walls. Lots of colour. And Minerva, she was really musical. Not like Louis, though. She had actual talent.” Clem laughs at this but starts to wonder how good Minerva actually sounded. She thought, despite how annoying he is, Louis sounded pretty good when he was singing. Maybe it has just been too long since she heard music.

“She had the most amazing voice. Real Bluesy,” Violet continues, a dreamy look in her eye. “Marlon always joked that he would scavenge a guitar and the two of them would tour the country.” She frowns. “That was a long time ago. Afterwards, Brody and Tenn took down all the paintings. That was the end of it.” Violet crosses her arms again. “I shouldn’t have even brought it up. It’s not a good memory.”

“It sounds like they were good friends. With a lot of talent, too.” Clem smiles, happy that the once quiet girl had opened herself up to her.

“Sophie was the best of friends. And Minnie…” She clears her throat. “Minnie and I were close.”  
“What exactly happened to them, if you don’t mind my asking?” Clementine sits down on the bunk she was tied to.

Violet doesn’t hesitate to answer. Eventually, you tell the story enough times that it doesn’t hurt as much to tell it. Like her with Lee. “They went scavenging with Marlon and Brody out past the safe zone. Didn’t make it back. It happens.”

That damn safe zone again. And Aasim says Marlon’s been pulling it back. But why? Maybe there’s a herd, that would explain the fear, especially if they lost friends. But she can handle a herd. She’s smart. Smarter than all of them. But if it’s people, like she’s afraid of, then maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to leave. Clem likes the school, she does. She likes the people. Violet, Marlon, even Louis. But her kids always came first.

Clem is pulled out of thought as Violet sits down on the bunk next to her. “Honestly, I just miss having someone around to talk to.There’s just… so many dudes. This place can get a little too bro-town for my liking sometimes.” She pauses, seemingly hesitant about continuing before she speaks again. “And I’m not exactly, like… a people person, you know? I know I sometimes have a habit of being a little bit too harsh.”

Clem, honestly, doesn’t mind people who are harsh because usually they are honest. Honesty is important if a group is going to work, if trust is going to build. Hadn’t she learned that the hard way? Her brand seems to tingle beneath her shirt. The New Frontier. “No, I think you’re pretty cool.”

Violet looks at her in shock, “Oh, um. Thanks. I guess.” She looks down again. “You were pretty cool, too. Out there against all those walkers.” Clem smiles, compliments from Violet seem to be a rare thing. She’ll take what she can get.

“Hey, Clem! I’m an artist now.” AJ looks to her with a sparkle in his eye. Gen smiles, too, but more at AJ, not the drawing. It can’t be that bad, can it? She looks to Violet and nods before getting up and making her way over.

To say the least, she’s relieved that the drawing doesn’t look too terrible. She won’t have to lie too much. “Not bad, kiddo.” 

“I should be getting back,” Violet says abruptly, taking the box. “Thanks again for the box. You’re pretty cool, AJ.” AJ smiles, looking down, surprised by the compliment.

“See ya.”

“Yeah, see ya.”

Clem sighs, “Okay, Alvin Junior, Genevieve. Time to take a leaf from Luke and Diego’s book and get some sleep.” 

Gen laughs at the use of their full names, especially when Clem puts emphasis on her and Dio’s names. “Okay, here.” AJ hands her the drawing which Clementine pins up near the desk, a smile on her face.

“Soon we’ll have a bunch of drawings.”

“Clem, are we really going to leave tomorrow?” AJ looks around at the room, as if trying to memorize it.

Clem sighs. “AJ, we don’t even know if Marlon will let us stay.” AJ’s face falls. Clem sighs again. “We’ll have to see.”

“I like it here. It feels safe, the walls, the traps. And I like all the people, too. They’re nice, even though I was mean.”

“I like it here, too. Violet’s really cool.” Gen pauses. “Do you think I could learn to play the piano, too?”

Clem smiles, she can’t stop herself from teasing her only girl. “I’m sure Louis would be happy to teach you piano. I’m sure you’d like that a lot.”

“Only because I want to learn the instrument,” the girl defends. If you could tell when she’s blushing past her copper skin she would have been in that moment. “Why? Don’t you like Louis?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, I like him, too, Clem. Should I not like him,” AJ asks, concerned about her opinion.

“No, it’s just… I don’t know. He’s loud.”

 

“Loud is bad. Except not always.”

“I guess we’ll have to see if loud is bad in this case.” Clem claps her hands. “Now, no more stalling. Bed.”

“It’s about time you guys shut up.” Luke grumbles from the bed.

Gen grabs a pillow off the bed she is supposed to share with Clem and puts it in front of the door while AJ lies under the bed. “What are you guys doing?”

“You said that someone should always be awake, I’ll take first watch,” Gen explains. “And if AJ’s under the bed than he can watch my back without anyone knowing he’s there. It’s smart. Just in case someone tries to get in.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll sleep with one eye open if I have to,” Clem tries to assure them.

“You can’t do that. I tried.” AJ calls from under his bed.

Clem sighs, “Please, just give the bed a chance. And if you really don’t like it then you can sleep by the door and under the bed, okay?”

“That… seems fair.” Gen gets up from her place by the door and put her pillow back, carefully placing her knife under it as AJ climbs into his own bed next to Luke.

“This bed is super soft. And warm. I’m glad we aren’t sleeping in the car anymore.” AJ rolls over, facing the wall.

“Yeah, me, too.” Clem wraps her arm around Gen and that’s the last thing she knows before sleep takes her.  
-

AJ runs up the stairs as Clem helps Luke up them, clasping his hand tightly so he doesn’t trip. Gen is back in the room, she’s taking care of Dio today despite her protests. Clem figures that since she had helped with the walkers yesterday it is time to give Luke and AJ a turn to do something.

“He’s gonna let us stay, right?” Luke walks next to her. “Why would they make us leave after saving us?”

AJ pretends not to care but he looks carefully at Clem, waiting for an answer. “We’ll see. Let’s find his office.”

“I know where it is! I’ll show you,” AJ says, running up the next flight of stairs.He leads them into what looks like it used to be an office. “Tenn’s here!”

“Hey, Clem,” Tenn smiles at her as she walks in. “Thanks for the pencils. I missed having colours.”

Clem walks over to crouch next to the two boys, Luke standing next to her. “No need to thank us, they’re yours.”

AJ picks up a firefighter figurine. “Who are these guys?” He looks at it with utter confusion.

“They’re firefighters,” Tenn explains, playing with a firetruck. AJ looks at the other toy. “That ones a police woman. She’s gonna save the day.”

“But what are they?”

“They… These were the people who protected us. “

“Where are they,” AJ asks, looking to Clementine.

“Well, I’m sure there are some out there. Maybe someday you’ll meet one. We’ve met a lot of different kinds of people.”

“Maybe you have,” Luke murmurs from behind her, crossing his arms.

“That would be cool.”

“Super cool!” Tenn agrees. “Now, give it to me-” Tenn begins, reaching for the toy.

“No! He’s mine now.”

“Hey! Give it back!”

“No!”

Luke looks at Clem before walking away. Despite being the youngest, he never much cared for toys. He starts to look at the office, smiling at the lighthouse paperweight. Clem shakes her head as she takes the toy from AJ, “Okay, okay. That’s enough, you two.”

“It’s mine!” AJ exclaims while Clem hands the toy back to Tenn.

“No, it’s not.” Clem puts her hands on her hips trying to look as stern as possible, all while Luke smiles at her from across the room. What a little shit. It’s hard to say whether he got that from Luke, Jane, or herself. Honestly, it was probably a combination of the three.

“Ugh, fine.”

“Thanks.”

“Do you know where Marlon is?” Clem quickly steers the conversation in a different direction while Luke walks back over to hold her hand.

“I don’t know. He should be a around. I can go look.”

“That’d be nice. Thanks, Tenn.” The door creaks as he makes his way out. Clem uses his absence to take time to look around the office. He has a mattress set up on the floor and there’s a dusty picture on the desk. A blonde boy with scruffy hair and dirty cheeks, and a boy with a wide smile and dreads. 

“It’s a picture of Marlon and the piano boy,” Luke says.

“Louis. They’re so little,” AJ adds.

“I guess they really have known each other forever.” The door creaks open. Clem turns towards it, expecting to see Marlon and his… interesting choice of hair enter the room but instead sees nothing. Until Rosie walks into view.

Immediately she gasps and starts backing up, AJ and Luke taking a small step forward before she yanks them back. Dogs are dangerous. Everything in this world is dangerous. Her fear only doubles as the thing starts growling at her.

“Stay back,” Clem says, shakily, backing away. 

The dog still advances, barking. She only stops when Marlon walks in, “What the hell is going on? Hey, hey. It’s okay, girl. Shh.” Marlon places a hand on her head and she emits one last growl before sighing. He straightens, “You said dogs brought back bad memories. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were so scared. But, I swear, Rosie is not as frightening as she seems.” Marlon turns and whistles. “Sit, girl.” 

Rosie complies immediately, “See? She’s harmless. She just needs to get to know you is all.” He offers Clem a hand. “Here, I’ll show you. Do you trust me?”

Honestly, not really. But… you do have to get over this at some point, Clementine. It’s just a dog. You used to want a dog so bad. But… you did also like to join groups a lot and look where that led you. No, this is different. Fuck it.

“Okay, I guess.” 

Clem takes his hand and he guides it down to Rosie’s snout. “Get down to her level. Let her get your scent.” Clem flinches, trying to pull her hand back as the dog’s wet nose touches her hand. Marlon holds it in place. “It’s okay. She’s not going to hurt you.” Rosie licks her hand. “There you go. Now, whistle and tell her to lie down.”

Clem whistles the same way he did when he told her to sit. “Lie down, Rosie.” And, shockingly, she does.

Luke hugs her legs. “I’m so proud of you, Clem. We say fuck off to fear!”

“Yeah. That was… pretty cool” Clem’s had enough of dogs for the day.

“And now Rosie will recognize you. You don’t have to worry.” Marlon steps towards his desk, his easy smile replaced by a determined expression. “Now, I’m gonna need you to go hunting with Louis and Aasim today. Those two… don’t exactly get along. Violet and Brody are going fishing. They don’t exactly get along either so if you want to send you’re older girl with them, I’d appreciate it.”

Clem narrows her eyes in suspicion but before she can say anything Luke blurts, “So, we can stay?”

Marlon smiles and nods. “ Couldn’t let you guys go.”

“Well, boys. I guess we’re going hunting.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clear something up for this chapter, only Luke and AJ were takento McCarroll Ranch, Gen being older than them was able to somewhat understand the situation and chose to stay with Clementine.

“Please, please, please, can I go with you guys?” Gen begs as Clementine gets Dio sorted out. “I really want to go with you and Louis. Please?”

Clem sighs. Who would have thought that it would still be a struggle to get your kids ready in the morning even during the apocalypse? “I’m sorry, Gen, but Marlon wants you to go with Brody and Violet.”

“Why don’t I go with Brody and Violet instead,” AJ asks from where he’s sitting on his bed. 

Clem raises an eyebrow, “You don’t want to go with Aasim, Louis, Luke, and I?”

“Well, I do. But if Gen reeaally wants too, I don’t mind.” AJ stands up. “Plus, yesterday Violet called me cool, so we’re best friends now. But not as much as me and Tenn we’re bestest friends.”

“I thought I was your bestest friend,” Clem states.

“Clem, you’re more like my mom.”

“I’m really glad you’re warming up to the other kids, AJ.” Let’s just hope we end up staying here. 

“Okay, so it’s settled. I’ll go with Violet and Brody. Luke and Gen will go with you. And where is Dio going?” AJ and Gen look to Clem, both of them seemingly forgetting their baby brother. 

“Marlon said Omar could watch him today. Now, let’s go.” Clem starts walking out of the room, AJ and Gen right behind her when she stops, both kids walking into her back. She backs up into the room and looks around. “Okay, where the hell is Luke?”

AJ and Gen just shrug.

-

The three set off to find Luke and Omar and happen upon Omar first. “Hey, Omar,” Clem starts, a little awkward as she doesn’t know the boy that well. “Um, Marlon said you wouldn’t mind watching Dio today. Is that okay?”

Omar’s face lights up. “I’d love to. I had a baby brother.” His face darkens. “You know… before.”

“So, I guess I can trust you not to kill him before I get back,” Clem says, trying to keep the conversation light.

“I’d rather you didn’t. I actually kind of like him, unlike this one over here,” Gen adds, sticking her tongue out at AJ which he returns in kind.

“Don’t worry, Clementine. You can trust me with your baby.”

Clem carefully puts Dio in Omar’s outstretched arms and Omar starts rocking him, a soft expression, one of remembering, crossing his face. “Um, you didn’t happen to see Luke at all, have you?”

Omar laughs, “Losing track of them already?” Clem glares at him. “With Mitch.”

Clem nods her thanks before setting off again, dragging AJ and Gen with her.

-

“There you go! You’re starting to get the hang of it.” Mitch praises as he watches Luke carefully flip the small knife, normally occupying the space in his boot, over his fingers. 

Luke smiles at the praise but it drops when he sees Clem approaching looking less than happy with him, “Thank god. You can’t be running off like that, Luke.”

“Look, I don’t know what shit you guys saw on the road, but trust me, the kid is fine without you constantly watching him. If we wanted to kill you, you’d be dead already.” Mitch says from behind Luke.

For just a second, Clem gets a little angry, “You’re right, you don’t know what shit we’ve seen on the road. You’ve hid behind walls your whole life.” She takes a step closer, “And just so you know, the slightest move on him, anything, and you’d have a knife in your neck faster than you could beg.”

With that Clem turns, Luke and AJ looking at each other with awed expressions while Gen chuckles “Sorry about her. She’s not a...people person. Yet.” 

The kids hurry to catch up to her. “Clem, you shouldn’t have said that. I like Mitch, I think. I think we can trust these people.”

“I like them, too. But I don’t know if we can trust them yet.” AJ says, watching Clem’s face for any reaction to his words.

“Well, let’s just see how their hunting and fishing system is before we jump to any conclusions,” Clem tells them, calmly, the earlier anger seemingly gone. “AJ, you let us know if you see or hear anything… fishy.”

Gen snorts from behind her, “Fishy.”

“What?” Then it dawns on Clem. “Oh. Ha, ha. Very funny.”

“Look! There’s Brody and Violet. Okay, I’ll see you later, Clem.” AJ starts walking away.

“Remember, AJ.” He turns back around. “Even when I’m not there-”

“Never go alone. I know.” 

They grow up so fast.

-

The group walked through the forest, quiet. Luke was on Clem’s back due to an earlier incident when he tripped and fell, Aasim complaining about their slow speed. He said something about ‘wanting to catch dinner by dinner time and not next week.’ Clem looks around carefully, watching the back while Luke watches the front.

Aasim, noticing this, says, “Hunting grounds are usually clear of walkers. Sometimes they get caught in the snares and shit though. If you see a ribbon on a tree, traps are nearby.” Clem nods, eyeing the traps they pass, “So, watch where you step.” Clem smiles as Gen steps a little to the left so she’s walking directly behind Clementine.

“Pfft.” Clem hears from behind her, looking back momentarily as Louis steps forward, “Please, I think I can handle myself. I’m basically a ninja. Skilled in the craft of martial arts.”

“What the hell is a ninja,” Luke mutters in Clem’s ear causing her to laugh. Louis looks at her with a smile.

“You, too? I thought I was the only one,” Clem throws her hands up, deciding to play along, “I’ll explain later, Luke.”

“Well, if you’re one I’m one.” Luke puts his hands up which immediately causes him to fall off Clem’s back as she is no longer holding his legs.

Louis, Clem, and Gen laugh as he gets up. “Some ninja you are,” Gen says with a smile, dusting the younger boy off. Luke grumbles quietly to himself as he grabs Clem’s hand, deciding to walk from now on.

“Oh god, we rescued an entire family of them. What the fuck were we thinking,” Aasim mutters from ahead of them, the other four kids still laughing about Luke’s spill.

“We’ve got work to do, not all of us have the privilege of being Marlon’s lapdog,” Aasim calls from the front of the group. All of a sudden Clem’s serious again, tension between people is important because that’s what leads to betrayal. Look at Lilly and Carley.

Louis plays it off though as, it seems, he so often does. He puts a hand on his heart, donning an easy smile, “Ohhh, ouch! Someone’s a little jealous.” Clem stares at him. “In my defense, I totally get things done. I just prefer to think of survival as more of a day to day task. So, you know. Don’t sweat the technique.”

“Well… I guess you made it this far.” Clem says, hesitantly, not exactly sure if she agrees with his mentality.

“I knew you’d understand.” Louis smiles at her and she can’t help but smile back.

“Whatever, man.” Aasim shakes his head. “You act like you’re the only one with a strategy. I play the long game. You’ve gotta have plans B, C, and D.”

“Is that a rule,” Luke asks, “Clem, is that a rule? There are so many already.”

“Rules?” Louis looks at her like she has a third head. “It’s the apocalypse who gives a-”

“Shh. Shut up for a second,” Clem says as a low groan fills her ears. They all stop, Clem, Gen, and Luke scanning in different directions,. Different spots so they see all the threats.

They finally manage to pinpoint the sound so Clem draws her knife, her, Louis, and Aasim walking in front while Luke and Gen walk behind, their own weapons in hand. Clem sighs in relief when it turns out the walker is trapped in a snare.

“Hah! Hey,check this guy out!” Louis smiles, “He’s like a walker pinata!” Louis walks forward, poking the poor thing with Chairles.

“Hey! You shouldn’t do that,” Gen protests, stepping forward.

“Thank you, at least someone understands. Cut it down, fix the snare, and let’s go.” Aasim walks away.

“I will, I will. Eventually,” Louis adds at the end, quietly.

Aasim turns to Clementine, “If you want food for your kids, I could use a hand. Or you can mess around with this idiot and starve. It’s up to you.” Aasim strides away, heading to the bushes about twenty feet away.

“‘Or you can starve’” Louis mocks him. “So dramatic.” Which is ironic coming from Louis.   
Clem looks between the two boys and then at her two kids. Gen stands halfway between the two, unsure. “Hey, kiddo. What’s wrong? I thought you liked Louis.”

“Clem, do you remember Javi? Not after. When we were with them. Just you and me. When the boys were at the ranch.” Gen looks sadly at Louis and Luke who stands near him.

“Of course I do. But why?” Clementine thinks this is a bit of a subject change from the original question.

“Javi killed that man. Beaver? No, Badger. That was it. He beat in his skull with a baseball bat because he killed his niece. He was a monster who hurt people. But after that happened, you told me that not even monsters deserve to die like that and I should always regret it if I take a life.”

“Yes, I remember.” But, it seems, she had told her kids misguided things in the past. Carver deserved what he got. But how do you explain that some murder is justified and others is not to a four year old?

“Well, walkers are monsters and Louis is about to do the same thing. I liked him because I thought he was funny, that he was laid back. Not a lot of people like that. But he might be a little too laidback.”

Clem smiles. She’s glad that her kids can make up their own minds about the other kids. “Then I’m sure Aasim will appreciate the help.” 

Clem walks Gen over to him and he smiles, “Okay, it’s super easy. All you have to do is get the rabbits in those bushes to run this way and I’ll shoot at them. Clem, you helping?”

Clem sighs, “I’ll be back. I need to go talk to my other child.”

Aasim nods.

“Good, you’re here. I knew you’d come around.” Louis holds Chairles out to her as she approaches. 

“C’mon, Clem, beat the shit out of this fucker!” Luke smiles, jumping up and down.

“Okay, who the hell told you you could swear?”

Luke smiles, “Mitch.”

“That son of a bitch,” she mutters. She looks back at Louis, then at Gen. “Okay, fine. But one swing, that’s it,” she says, taking the makeshift weapon.

“Now, that’s what I’m talking about.” Clementine walks forward, eyeing the walker. “Sorry about Aasim. I promise he’s not always so lame. But lucky for you, this is Team Fun.” Louis puts his hands on his hips and smiles at Luke.

“Hell yeah!” Luke responds in kind. Mitch has been a fast and horrible influence on him and if they did leave tomorrow, Clem would never not hear the word fuck again.

“That’s, right! Team Fun. And you’re membership has just been accepted,” Louis says to the boy, giving him a high five. “Now, for our first order of business a little… batting practice.” Louis gestures to the walker.

Clem walks forward taking a deep breath, Luke watching her with wide eyes. She thinks back on Javi. He killed those walkers in proper stance. Knees bent, shoulder width apart. Elbows up. Hands together. Okay, she could do this. She takes a swing and she’s met with a crunch of impact. “Wooh! If the Olympics were still a thing, you’d get a silver no question.”

“A silver, huh?” She looks to Luke. “The Olympics were these competitions. Mostly in sports, remember the guy me and Gen told you about. Dio’s dad?” Luke nods, “He played a sport and that’s an example of one in the Olympics.”

Clem turns and repostions herself. “Prove it wasn’t luck,” Louis says to her. She takes another swing and is met with another smack. “All right. Now, you just went and earned yourself a gold. Damn.”

Clem decides to take one last crack at it. “All right. You gotta make this one count.” Her third and final swing is met with the satisfying sound of the walkers entire jaw flying off it’s face and hitting the ground.

“Home run!”

Luke taps the jaw with his foot and giggles, “Do remember when you told us the story of how my dad almost fell of that broken bridge and you almost died on it too because you knocked a walker’s jaw off instead of killing it?”

 

Louis looks at her, “What?”

“I do remember that.”

“You should probably make sure this one's dead.” Clem nods, handing Chairles back to Louis and pulling out her own knife. She knows that she completely ignored Louis’s question but doesn’t really care.

“All right, all right. Show’s over. See, don’t you feel a little better now that you’ve blown off some steam? You need to get that energy out every now and again. Have some fun.”

Clem frowns, looking at Luke. “It feels strange. I feel like I should be helping.” She pauses and lowers her voice, hoping he can’t hear her. “I’ve been running so long, I don’t think I know how to stop.”

Louis smiles at her, “All we have is this moment.That’s the only thing you got, the only thing any of us got. Might as well enjoy it. Life’s too short to be a stress ball all the time.” Louis steps closer to Clem as she looks away. She was always too busy ensuring her kids are fed and warm. She’s never had time to live in the moment. Louis smiles, “I’ll untie our friend and reset the snare. You go check on Aasim.”

“Clem! Luke!” Gen calls. They exchange a glance before following. She points to a snare. “Look it got one!”

Aasim and Louis join them. “It’s a baby,” Gen states.

“Well, all meat is good meat,” Louis says with a smile.

“Even people? Please, tell me you guys aren’t cannibals,” Luke says with disgust.

“Dude. Just, no. Just. No.”

“It’s not enough. Release it, let it get bigger.” Aasim tells Clem. “You might be hungry now but you’ll be hungrier tomorrow if you don’t let him go.”

“Tomorrow doesn’t exist, dingus.” Louis, in character, scowls. “There’s just today. And today I’m hungry. We’re hungry.” Louis turns to Clem. “Are you gonna do it?”

“No,” she looks at Gen and Luke, using it as a teachable moment. “When you’re hunting, especially if you’re doing it in an area you plan to stay in or you’re using a loud weapon, then you only kill it when it’s fully grown. Not worth it otherwise because noise brings walkers.”

“I guess it’s a good thing we’re scavagers-”

“Sca-VEN-gers.”

 

“Scavengers and we don’t hunt our own food. I feel like that would be disastrous,” Luke says.

“I always told you there is a method to my madness,” Clem tells him as she undoes the snare, letting the baby bunny go.

Louis sighs, “You’re really embracing this whole mom thing.”

Clem shoots him a glare at the same time Luke does, “She’s not my mom!”

 

“Okay, whatever. Just so you know, this isn’t going to be enough for tonight.” Aasim breaks up the argument right away. “How about you guys go check on Violet and Brody while I take these back to the school.”

“You got it,” Clem says. Louis nods with her.  
-

They’re walking towards the river shack in near silence, the only sound is the leaves beneath their feet. Gen is in front with Luke on her back and Clem and Louis walk side by side behind them, “So, where did you learn to swing like that? You took the damn thing’s jaw off.”

“Knew a guy who played baseball. You know, before,” Clem answers curtly.

Luke smiles, listening to every word, “His nephew’s the one she kissed.” He makes a big smacking sound with his lips.

“Luke, I will not hesitate to shoot you in the face if you do not shut your mouth. I’ve done that to a lot of people. Sometimes even by accident.”

Gen frowns, “Prescott?”

“Prescott.” Clem nods.

“Well, I guess it’s a good thing you gave your gun to AJ.” He pauses. “You know, you have to stop doing cool shit when I’m not around,” Luke tells her. “Like when you got shot.”

“Me getting shot is cool?”

Louis throws up his hands, as always, theatrically. “Okay, one of these days you’re going to have to tell me your entire life story because I swear your kids all understand you and each other but it is like you guys are talking in code.”

“If I told you about half the things I’ve seen you’d probably piss yourself.” Clem informs him. He frowns at her so she quickly adds, “But if you really want to know then I guess I will have to tell you eventually.”

Louis smiles but it drops when the fishing shack comes into view. “Stop walking,” Clem calls out to the two kids ahead of them. “Where are Violet, Brody, and AJ?”

“Clementine, look.” Gen points to a dead walker that she hadn’t seen. There’s a spear in it’s head. Clem looks to Louis, her earlier worry changing into fear.

“Something’s not right. They wouldn’t just leave this out here.” Louis seems to share her fear, eyeing the shack with suspicion. He walks up to the door and looks at the lock, “Head’s up, guys. Lock’s busted. We might not be alone.”

Clem reacts immediately, pulling her knife as Luke jumps from Gen’s back, his own knife in hand. He flips it over his finger with a satisfied smile on his face as Gen draws her slingshot, rolling her eyes despite the smile on her face . 

Clem steps to the front of the door, Louis stepping back and allowing her to take control of the situation. She kicks it open in hopes of catching whoever may be inside off guard but it turns out the place is empty. 

“Holy shit, this place is wrecked! All our supplies are gone, too. The nets, the spears, everything.” Louis looks to her with panic. “I’m going to take a look outside, see if I can find Brody or Vi.” He doesn’t wait for an answer as he steps outside.

He comes back a few minutes later with Violet, Brody, and AJ with him. Clem breathes a sigh of relief as she sees him, enveloping him in a huge hug before looking him over for injuries. “Are you okay?”

“Yes? Why wouldn’t I be?”

“There are no signs of our thief,” Louis informs the group. 

“Thief?” Brody looks around, panic on her face.

“Shit, we just walked about a mile down the river and all our traps were empty.” Violet angrily crosses her arms.

Clem walks forward, looking at the fireplace. She picks up a hand rolled cigarette. “Wait a second. Do any of the kids smoke?”

“Nothing to smoke,” Violet tells her.

“The thief took a lot of our supplies, it’s probably going to be a lot harder to fish.” Louis gestures to the empty cabinets that once held nets and spears.

“Fuck. This is-. Shit.” Brody steps away from the group, hyperventilating. 

All of a sudden Clementine remembers that this is a school for troubled youth. And she has no clue what to do. “It’s okay, Brody. Just stop and take a breath for a-”

“Just shut the fuck up, okay!” Brody continues to freak out.

“Excuse me?” Clem can’t help but feel a little annoyed, but then again, she also has never had to deal with someone when they were having an anxiety attack. There was Sarah, of course. But that seemed a little different.

Luke walks forward and grabs Brody’s hand, she smiles down at the boy and he gives her a small nod. “You guys figure something out. I need to go tell Marlon about this.” Brody gently detaches herself from Luke before storming back to the school.

“Well, what do we do then, eat rocks?” Louis looks between Clem and Violet.

“You can’t eat rocks,” AJ states

“I’m aware,” Louis replies, a hint of annoyance in his tone.

“Will Marlon kick us out if we don’t find food,” AJ asks, fearfully.

“Who cares? We’re leaving if we can’t find food.” Luke crosses his arms.

“Hush, Luke. Won’t you miss anyone,” Gen asks him gently.

“No.”

“Not even Mitch?”

Luke falls silent and Clem takes this as an opportunity to interject, “Let’s not find out, in any case. Remember the train station?”

The kids nod as Clem shows Louis and Violet on Marlon’s map, “There was a lot of food hidden in the office.”

“That’s pretty far outside the safe zone,” Violet tells her, hesitantly. “Are you sure there was food there?”

“Tons of it. I’m sure some was destroyed in the explosion. But there was so much there.”

Louis nods, “It’s worth a look.”

“ AJ, I need you to go back to check on Dio. And to help Brody tell Marlon about our thief, can you do that?”

“You’re benching me? Come on, Clem. I can help, I know I can.”

Clem smiles, “And I know you’re helpful so I need you to do this for me. I promise, next mission it’ll be just me and you.”

AJ smiles, “Just me and you. I like that, okay.”

AJ runs after Brody, his knife drawn. 

Clem turns around and looks at the four people around her, “Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, another chapter done. Please let me know if the pacing is too slow. Thanks, hope you enjoyed!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the longer wait, I was really busy with school. Hopefully, this chapter will make up for it.

By the time they reach the train station it's dark, none of the kids can see that well but they can hear the low groans of the dead. The train station is overrun, as they knew it would be. “There. That’s where the food is. Lot more walkers than last time, though.”

Then Louis, truly someone with an optimistic personality, states, “We’re gonna die.”

“It’s either die here or die from hunger. Take your pick,” Violet answers, deadpan. “You know this place better than we do, Clementine. Maybe you should scope things out,” Violet asks. Clementine is already looking out at the overrun station, Gen looking over her shoulder.

“The bell,” she whispers. Clem nods, looking over at the overturned train car. She nods to Gen again and they look at the group.

“You look like you have an idea.” Louis nods, only looking slightly afraid.

“Okay, that bell is really loud. If someone climbs up the train car they can distract the walkers while the rest of us sneak in.” 

“Louis. I vote Louis.” Violet offers right away.

“Uh, hold on. I’d like to make an alternate suggestion,” Louis counters, fear on his face.

“C'mon, Lou. You're loud, dramatic. A little bit annoying. You’re basically a walking distraction,” Violet replies, trying to convince him.

“I think you mean charming and theatrical,” Louis shoots back. He looks to Clem, a small smile on his face. “Entertaining is another word that comes to mind. Charismatic.”

“See what I mean?”

“C'mon, Prince Charming. Let's see those talents in action,” Clem tries to reassure him. 

“Well, how can I say no to a face like that,” Louis replies, smiling at her once more. Clem glares at him.

“I’ll go with you, Clem. Give you some cover.” Violet pulls out her trusty meat cleaver.

“Fine, I'll do it. But if I die I'm making sure walker Louis eats all of you first.” Louis starts walking. “I’ll distract them until I see you guys reach safe cover.. Then I’ll try to redirect the smelly patrol to give you guys a chance to sprint inside the building.”

“When you get into position, I’ll signal you. Then you can do your thing. Gen, you go with him.” Gen nods already following Louis. 

“Wait, Louis.” he turns back, eyebrows raised. She smiles at him, a real smile. “Thanks.”

“I-It’s, um, no problem.”

Gen giggles and follows Louis as he climbs the train car. When he gets to the top he starts smacking the train car with Chairles as Gen rings the bell. Louis starts cracking jokes and pretty soon all the walkers are focused on them.

Clem starts to walk, Violet and Luke just behind her. She kicks the knee of a walker before killing it as Luke does the same to the one beside him. They reach a pile of barrels near the entrance of the train station when Clem signals Louis.

All of a sudden Louis stops talking and it’s just Gen ringing the bell, continuing to talk in Louis’s stead. “Shit, do you think he?”

The question is answered when Louis starts making noise farther down as Gen stops, causing Clem to feel intense relief. He’s safe. Everything’s fine. She can’t have more innocent blood on her hands. “I’ll watch the door for walkers,” Violet tells them.

Clem nods, “Luke and I will sneak in, grab the food, and get out.” 

“Sounds good. Let’s make it quick.”

Clem follows Luke who has already ran out of cover, knife in hand. The train station is almost exactly how they left it. Luke stops by the trapdoor, waiting for Clem to open it.

She was right before. Some of the food is destroyed, but not all of it, and there is baby food. “Okay, Luke. I'm gonna need your help for this one. You crawl down there and grab what you can to fill these bags.” Clem grabs the green duffel bags in the cupboard where AJ previously found bullets.

“Clem, look.” Luke holds a lantern in his hands.

“Try it out. See if it works.”

The lantern does, indeed, work. Clem places it near the entrance to under the train station as Luke climbs down. Luke starts to hand her things and Clem starts filling the duffels with food. She is zipping closed the second bag when she hears the click of a gun. Clem looks up in alarm and she sees two different coloured eyes. A man. Smoking a hand rolled cigarette. “Stand. Slowly.”

The man starts walking forward, “Don’t yell. Don’t try anything. I won’t hurt you.” The man takes a long drag of his cigarette as Clem raises her hands. 

“What do you want?” Stupid question, she can probably guess the answer.

“I just want food. Same reason you’re here.” That’s what she thought. He takes another drag, breathing a long exhale. “You and your friends made a lot of noise out there. Wasn’t hard to follow. You live close by? You knew about this place already. And organized some effort to get inside. So, you probably also knew the stash was here.”

Clem looks into his eyes carefully listening to his observations. She doesn’t want to tell him anything by accident. “Sorry, wrong. We’re just passing through. Saw this place, thought there would be supplies. Turns out we were right.”

“Uh-huh. You just got extra lucky.” The man walks again, reaching for one of the filled duffels of food. The one, of course, with all the baby food in it. She takes a step forward. “Uh-uh.” He points the waves the gun at her.

“You don’t want what’s in that bag.”

He considers her, “Makes me think I do want it.” He steps up to her and scrutinizes her face. “You look a little young to be out on your own. You got a group? I count you plus the two outside. Probably more of you. You got a camp in these here woods?”

“Tell me about your group first. Then I might be more inclined to answer your questions.”

“I miss the days when we weren’t all so goddamn cagey. It’s just me and my ugly face out here.” He laughs as he takes a few steps back, “Lonely, ugly… hungry.”

He starts backing away when Luke pops up from the trapdoor. The man’s eyes widen in shock but that’s the only reaction. “Well, hey there, squirt. Playing hide and seek, are we?”

Luke at the man’s gun and then to the small knife in his hands and raises it. “Now, that’s impolite. Trust me, boy, I can shoot before you stab.”

“Even if you shoot me, someone will kill you. Probably, Clem. She’ll rip you limb from limb.” He smiles before it drops and he glares at the man. “So, don’t steal from us.”

The man laughs, “Yeah, ‘Clem’ here will protect you? And besides, I’m not stealing. This isn’t yours.”

Luke keeps the knife raised as the man stands, “Listen, squirt. You’re going to put the knife down and let me go on my merry, you understand?”

Before the man can get out another word, Clem rushes forward and pushes him, hard, out the open window. His screams are heard very soon after as the walkers find him. Clem helps Luke out of the space as Violet runs in, “Clementine, we’re running out of time, we need to get out of here.”

Clem nods, “Just take another bag and fill it up.” 

Once done, Clem takes two of the bags as she passes the other to Violet. “Let’s go.” Luke hops on her back and they run out. 

“Run! Now!” Clem calls to Louis and Gen. It was close. But they got out. Clem smiles as she looks at the bag filled with food for Dio.

“What happened in there?” Louis runs next to her.

“Just move!” Violet replies, dashing ahead.

“I’ll tell you on the way, Louis.”  
-

It’s late when they get back to the school, but it’s quiet. The only sound they can hear are the crickets. Mitch is on watch and as soon as he sees them he goes to open the gate. Luke falls heavily from Louis’s back. He felt bad about not carrying any food so about halfway back he offered to carry Luke.

“You are not listening to me. Marlon, listen to me. I’m telling you, the place was ransacked.” Brody says as they’re walking in. AJ stands next to her, trying to keep her calm when the panic starts to rise. As soon as he sees Clem and Gen he sighs with relief, running over to them.

“It’s fine,” Marlon replies to Brody. As he starts to follow AJ.

Ruby looks up from the fire, “Took y’all a while.”

“How poor are thee, they have not patience!” Louis says as Violet and Clem plop the bags down onto the picnic table. He smiles at Clem which she can’t help but return, pleased with their success.

Willy, as soon as he sees the duffels, runs over. “Aasim! Mitch! Check it out! Food!” Willy immediately starts pawing through it as Mitch walks over.

“That’s, like, a lot of food.”

“Observant as ever, Mitch,” Louis replies with a smile. 

“Baby food? Cleeem.” Willy holds up the bag that contains mostly baby food with the odd other items. 

“Oh, yeah. That one’s mine.” Clem says with a smile.

“Clem, why do you need baby food,” Willy looks at her, disgust on his face.

“Maybe because she has a baby, dumbass,” Mitch replies, fondly ruffling Willy’s hair. 

Willy smiles as he looks through the other bags, “You’re our saviour, Clem.”

“Sadly, I can’t take all the credit. Louis and Violet helped, too.”

“Hey! What about us,” Gen says, picking up Luke and hugging him. “We helped.”

“Yes, but I raised you so I automatically get all credit for anything you do.” Clem smiles at her kids.

Louis smiles, “Can’t argue with that logic.”

“Of course you would side with Clem.” Gen says.

“Um, what do you mean?” Louis says, sounding a little panicked.

“You know exactly what I mean,” Gen replies to a now blushing Louis. She puts Luke down, a smile on her face.

The smile drops when Brody asks, “Where did you find all this?”

“The old train station. Clem knew where it was.” Louis looks back at her. He looks, oddly, proud. But of what she isn’t sure.

“Train station.” Brody looks down before her eyes widen in shock. “That’s out past the safe zone!”

‘We’d have even more but we ran into that creep that fucked with our fish traps,” Violet adds, nonchalantly.

“Creep, what creep?”

“Clem saw him smoking those nasty ass bible cigarettes,” Louis answers, nose wrinkled in disgust. Honestly, Clem couldn’t blame him, she hadn’t much liked the smell of them either.

“He had weird different colour eyes.” Clem folds her arms, not liking the where the conversation is heading.

Brody looks out at the gate, looking more afraid than ever. “Did he follow you?”

“Nope. I shoved him into a pack of walkers that took a chunk out of him.” Clem mimics the shove with a slight smile on her face.

“It was fucking awesome,” Luke exclaims. Clem does not miss the wink Mitch gives him.

“Aww, Clem. I wasn’t even there to see it.” AJ pouts next to Luke as Gen flicks both their ears “Ow, Gen, What the hell?”

“That man’s dead now. Even if he was a monster, he got eaten alive less than two hours ago. That’s not awesome. It’s not funny. He’s dead now.” Gen frowns at both of them.

“What if he’s not dead,” Brody asks, hyperventilating. “What if he’s not dead? You attacked him and he’ll want to find you. He’ll want revenge!”

“Look, I don’t know if he made it out of there, but he won’t be alive for long,” Clem tries to reason, her arms still folded tight. No one with a bite ever lives, even if they did cut it off. She rarely meets anyone who survived. And this man is no where near anywhere where he could safely cut off the arm. So, if he’s alone, like he said… “Don’t worry, Brody. He’s dead.”

“Bullshit!” She screams. “What if there are others? You don’t know what people are capable out there.”

Clem is pissed now. If there is one thing she learned in the last eight years is that people are not to be trusted. “Think again.”

Brody walks off, “I just can’t. Won’t. Just, not again. Fuck.” That pretty much nails the coffin shut for Clementine. ‘Again’ means people have been here before. It means they could be here again. She decides right there that tomorrow morning, Clem is taking her kids and leaving.

“What the hell is going on here,” Marlon’s angry voice snaps Clem out of her thoughts.

“She took them outside the safe zone…” Brody points accusingly at Clementine. “They SAW someone. You know what that means.”

“What does it mean,” Clem asks, too quiet for anyone to hear.

“Enough!” Brody looks up at Marlon with fear. She looks like she’s about to run. And it’s so late, too dark for them to go now. This group is dangerous and if they’re not dangerous they’re hiding something. “It just means there’s a hungry guy out there looking for food. It’s happened before. You’re overreacting.”

Brody’s mouth falls open. “You can’t be serious.” She backs up a few steps.

Marlon grabs her forearm. “C’mon. Let’s go somewhere and talk about this.” 

Brody shoves Marlon off her with enough force that he lands flat on his ass, a shocked, soon angry, expression on his face. “If anything happens I’m holding you responsible.” Brody storms off as Marlon stands up, him and Clem watching her walk away.

Marlon turns to her. “Clem, I know I asked you for help.” He sighs. “And you did. You did. But… shit. God, nothing’s easy anymore.”

“No one died. You don’t have to worry.”

“I always do though. Can’t help it.” He crosses his arms. “Well, at least we’re eating tonight. For the next few I’d wager. Um, I’ll go talk to Brody. Thanks for the haul, Clementine. You guys should go enjoy it. You’ve earned it.”

Clem walks over to the table where Louis, Violet, Tenn, AJ, and Gen sit. “Luke’s with Dio.” Gen scrutinizes Clem closely as she plops down with a sigh. “I think I’ll go with him.” Gen gets up from the table and heads inside the school. She’s safe. Should Clem really take that away because of some theory that they’re hiding something? What if they aren’t and she makes them leave behind the friends they made. Marlon’s right. Nothing’s easy anymore.

“Don’t sweat it, Clementine.”

“Clem.”

“Huh?”

“You guys can call me just Clem. It’s shorter, all three syllables is a bit of a mouthful, huh?” Clem looks down at her bowl, listening to AJ slurp his food.

“Ever since we lost Sophie and Minnie, Brody’s been freaked out by anything that happens past the safe zone. She’ll be alright eventually.” Violet looks down at her own bowl.

“Still,” Aasim says from behind Clem, almost making her pull an AJ and elbow him in the groin. “We should make sure this is a one time thing. We can take Rosie out in the morning. See if she catches a scent. You know, just in case.”

Aasim walks away. AJ and Tenn stand up, “Clem, I’m going with Tenn to get some art stuff. We’re gonna be artists.”

“Okay, kiddo. Just come back out here to draw, okay? I want to see what you make.” AJ and Tenn nod, smiles on their faces.

“I’m gonna go clean up,” Violet says, walking away, leaving just Clem and Louis at the table.

Clem sighs again. She’s not sure what to do. Louis stands up for a second before sitting back down. He pulls out his deck of cards with a small smile on his face. “C’mon, Clem. One game. Just me and you.”

“I don’t know.” If we leave I don’t want to miss you. I can’t get attached, that just makes everything harder.

“I’ll keep it short. Promise.”

“Okay.” She smiles. “What are we playing.”

“Truth or truth. It’s like truth or dare but no dares.”

“Isn’t that just asking each other a bunch of questions? Doesn’t seem like a game to me.”

“Well, it is. Highest card asks. Lowest card answers.”

“So, that’s where the cards come in.” Louis smiles as he hands her half the cards.

Clem, surprisingly, wins first. “What does Brody mean by ‘not again’. Have you had people here before?”

“No. Never. Even before, Brody was always really anxious. We’ve never had people here.” But what if he’s lying, too? Clementine doesn’t know who to trust. Realistically, she shouldn’t trust any of them, she’s only known them for two days. But she wants to trust them so bad.

Louis wins next, “Did you really go to a cannibal dairy farm?”

“That’s what you want to know? You could’ve asked so many things but that’s what you want know.’’

“Hell yeah.”

“Yes. I wasn’t lying.”

“Oh, my god. That is so fucked up.”

“Yes, now, please. Start the next round.”

Louis, unfortunately, wins the next round, too. “What are you thinking about?”

“What? Like, right now? At this very second,” Clem asks with a bemused expression.

“No. What are you thinking about that’s making you so upset?”

And she is about to lie. But he looks at her with such genuine concern that she can’t help but be honest. “Can you keep a secret?”

“I don’t know,” Louis jokes, or at least she hopes he’s joking.

“I can’t tell you if you won’t keep it a secret.”

“For you, anything.” Louis leans forward, an easy smile on his face.

“Okay, Lou, chill out. I like you but I’ve known you for, like, two days.”

“You’re staaaaaalling.”

“Okay, fine.” She sighs. “Tomorrow morning, we’re probably leaving. My kids don’t know yet.”

“What the fuck? You’re leaving?” Suddenly, the smile is gone and he looks a little hurt instead. “Why?”

“I just don’t trust you.” He opens his mouth and she tries to back peddle. “Not you specifically. Your group.” 

“Oh, yeah. Thanks. That makes me feel sooo much better.” Louis gets up and as he’s walking away Clem decides to just be up front about it.

“Doesn’t it seem like Marlon and Brody are hiding something? They seem dangerous.”

Louis stops walking but doesn’t look back at her. “Marlon is my best friend. I’ve known him since even before all this and all he’s tried to do is protect us. He gets angry sometimes, yes. He has bad days, yes. But he would never try to hurt anyone. He isn’t dangerous.” 

“You don’t know people like I do. They do fucked up things, even if they’re good people.”

“And how would you know that? Oh, yeah, you’ve seen it out there. But here’s the thing, I don’t know where you’ve been the last eight years. You were nice to us, helped us find food, but you could still be dangerous.”

Clem smiles, “And now you understand.”

Louis finally looks at her, confused, before sighing. ‘’Whatever you do… Just don’t involve me.” He walks away. For some reason, it hurts when he does. He doesn’t believe her. But that’s to be expected. Everyone learned early on that people can’t be trusted.

The first rule is never go alone. But sometimes groups fall apart. People die. So, it’s better for us to go, right, Jane? I don’t know what to do.

Clem looks up at the sky. 

I guess I’ll just keep running.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do the characters seem in character for you? I had a lot of trouble writing the extra Louis part so I'm not sure. I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks, hope you enjoyed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! Sorry for the long wait, I've been alternating between my original work and this fanfiction, and school on top of all that, so it's been pretty crazy. I hope this chapter makes up for the wait and thank you to veryone who has left kudos and comments, they've really been making my days.

Clementine sits deep in thought, a frown on her face. She’s only snapped out of her stupor when AJ and Tenn come back outside, Tenn holding Sophie’s box and AJ holding a stack of papers. “Clem, we’re back!” AJ stops when he sees her frown. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing at all, Goofball.” Clem smiles at AJ, momentarily putting thoughts of leaving out of her head. “What are you guys going to draw?”

“Disco Broccoli!” AJ doesn’t hesitate to shout, starting his drawing right away.

“What about you, Tenn?”

“I’m drawing my sisters.”

“Minnie and Sophie, right? Aren’t they dead?”

“Yeah. They died around this time last year, that’s probably why Brody’s so afraid. Their death gets to people.”

Clem can’t help but frown at the boy. Every time someone so much as mentions someone from her past she goes on the defensive. And some of those things happened years ago. Tenn seems to take death in stride. “Doesn’t it get to you?”

“Not really. Dying’s not scary,” Tenn replies as he works on his drawing. “It’s sad, but not scary.”

“Then you haven’t seen enough death. You’re lucky.”

Tenn chooses to ignore her comment, “I try not to focus on them being gone. I like to picture where they are now instead.” Tenn flips his paper to show Clem. “Sophie was awesome at making stuff. She’d build a place big enough for all of us to live, and paint it, too. And Minnie would be playing whatever new song she wrote.”

Tenn’s words cause AJ to stop drawing. He looks at his picture with a smile. 

Tenn starts working on his picture again. “I guess death doesn’t scare me because I know I have something waiting for me on the other side. Someplace safe, and happy. All of us together.”

“Looks like a nice place to wind up.” If the after life actually exists. Clem chooses not to add, instead smiling at Tenn.

Tenn returns the smile. “Yeah. I think so, too. A lot better than some smelly, old school.”

Clem looks at the picture more closely. “Who are those guys?” She points to the random guys standing next to his sisters. Maybe other people from the school?

“The walkers who killed them,” Tenn states so simply.

“You’d want them there, too?”

“They weren’t always walkers. Wherever this place is, everyone gets to be a person again. Sometimes I draw the walkers the way they probably looked. Sometimes I draw Minnie and Sophie the way they probably left them.” Clem is officially a little freaked out. She has no clue what he did but Tenn definitely seems to fit in the ‘troubled youth’ department. “But sometimes I draw this, too.”

“Can I be there,” AJ asks, tentatively.

“Sure!” Tenn bends over the paper, quickly drawing something before looking at Clem. “You wanna be there, too?”

 

And suddenly she’s right back where she started. She’s walking the line of lying to AJ and telling him there is for sure an afterlife or being too harsh, causing him to grow up too fast. “Sure. Why not?” A drawing can’t hurt, right? Who the hell thought it would be a good idea to leave her alone with four children. Clem doesn’t know the ‘right’ call anymore.

Tenn finishes the sketch but then pauses, “Oh! I almost forgot.” He draws a smile on the paper Clementine’s face. “Here, you go.” He slides the paper over to Clem.

“It’s yours.”

“It’s ours.” Tenn starts a new drawing. 

“It’s getting late. We should probably get to bed, AJ.”

“Yeah. You guys should get some sleep,” Tenn agrees, not looking up.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“No, I want to finish this first.”

“Goodnight,” AJ says, following Clem.

“See you tomorrow.”  
-  
Gen walks through the hallways, looking for Luke. Dio is fast asleep in her arms. Luke said he was going to the bathroom twenty minutes ago and he never came back. Gen knows that he went to find Mitch. She also knows that Clementine will kill her if she loses Luke. She also, also knows never to leave Dio alone. So, here she is, late at night, walking through the halls of a dark school with a sleeping baby. Great.

Gen stops as she hears muttering and footsteps. Brody rounds the corner, talking to herself. “Brody!” The redhead stops and looks at Gen. “I know you probably don’t really want to talk to me. And I know you’re scared. But Clementine didn’t mean to make you upset. She’s met a lot of bad people before, too. I promise she’s just acting tough for everyone. She’s just as scared as you are.”

Brody bends down to look Gen in the eye but still says nothing, unsmiling. “Clem’s kind of like you, Brody. She hates strangers, too. But you don’t have to worry because we’ll protect you from strangers, I promise. I really hope we can be friends, Brody.”

Brody finally smiles, “I appreciate it. I hope we can be good friends, too.” She drops her voice so low that Gen almost doesn’t catch her next words. “But sometimes you can’t protect people.”

Brody stands and continues walking and she’s gone before Gen thinks to ask her where Mitch is.  
-  
“That’s so cool!” Luke watches in awe as Willy shoots an arrow through a walker’s head from the watchtower. The two were previously talking to Mitch but he went to sleep, leaving the two of them alone. It was a little awkward at first without Mitch as common ground, but eventually Willy offered to show Luke how to shoot a bow and that broke the ice.

“It’s not that hard. Pretty soon you’ll be able to shoot a bow just as well, just like you can flip your knife.” Willy smiles, it looks a little scary. “Mitch and I have a lot of things to teach you.”

“You’ll teach me stuff, too?”

“Of course! Mitch is like my older brother and I’ve always wanted a little brother. Now I have one. There is so much stuff we can do. Oh, man. Mitch should be scared.”

“We’re not gonna hurt him, right,” Luke asks, a little worried.

“Of course not. We’re just gonna play a couple… pranks.” Willy hands the bow to Luke. “Forget about that for a while. Here try this.”

Willy helps Luke into the right position and he’s about to shoot the arrow at a nearby tree when Gen’s voice comes out of nowhere, “C’mon, dummy! Before we get in trouble!”

Luke frowns and hands Willy back the bow. “I guess I have to go. Bye, Willy. See you tomorrow.”

“We have a busy day of planning ahead of us,” Willy replies, rubbing his hands together.  
-  
“Oh, my god! Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?” Clementine wraps all three kids in a big hug. Gen opens her mouth to explain when Clem cuts her off. “I don’t even want to hear it. Just get in bed.  
-  
Clem woke to… shouting?

“It’s in the pipes,” Gen says. “What should we do?”

“You three stay here, have your weapons ready. I’ll go check it out,” Clem replies, placing her hat on her head and grabbing her candle before exiting the room.

The shouting is coming from the basement but she’s unable to pick the lock as it’s locked on both sides. Clem sighs as she reads the map, realizing the only other opening is the cellar door in the courtyard.

Clem, sighs again as she heads out into the rain, having to resort to a brick as a way to get the door open. Once it is open, she climbs into the dry basement. The voices, continuing to yell, didn’t hear her.

Clem listens, ‘“Dammit, Brody! We don’t even know for sure it was them,” Marlon? Exclaims.

“And he got away! How do we know he didn’t follow them? You know he’s not alone! Those bastards are back and it’s only a matter of time before they find us. You know that,” Brody replies, as panicked as ever. Clem sighs. All these thems and they and no definitive answer as to WHO she should be afraid of.

“I don’t know shit! And neither do you. Goddammit, Brody, keep it together!”

“There you go again, gettin’ so mad!”

“Well, what am I supposed to do? You’re making me mad!”

“Oh, we have to tell the others about what you did!”

Clem decides that she should probably leave. Right now. Whatever the hell these people are involved in, she wants nothing to do with it. She doesn’t want her kids to be involved. Clem has a baby for god sake.

In her haste to leave, she kicks a shelf. Fuck

“Who’s there?” Marlon and Brody turn, pointing the flashlight in Clementine’s direction. “Show yourself.”

Seeing no other option, Clem steps into view with her hands raised. “Clem.” Brody looks to Marlon who shakes his head with a scowl on his face.

“What are you doing down here? In the dark.” Now that she’s in this messed up situation she might as well get the information she’s wanted for the last few days.

“Brody and I were just talking, go get some sleep,” Marlon answers with a smile, Brody looking down at her feet with a frown.

“Didn’t exactly sound like a polite conversation. We can hear you from our room. What exactly are you two fighting about?”

“None of your business. Go back to the dorm,” Marlon replies, the smile still on his face.

Clementine eyes Brody who stands behind Marlon with his arms crossed, “The man you met at the station. We got history with him.”

“Brody!” Marlon turns to Clem, something like desperation on his face. “Don’t listen to her, Clem. She’s acting crazy. She gets this way sometimes. You just gotta tune it out.”

“Don’t be afraid of him, Brody.” Clem step forward, trying to reassure the anxious girl. “Say what you have to say. What history?”

It’s silent for a beat. “Marlon let him take the twins. Him and his people.”

“Dammit, Brody,” Marlon takes a step towards him until Clem stops him with an outstretched hand.

“Wait. Tenn’s sisters? I thought they were killed by walkers?” Clem thought something was up, that she’ll admit. But he traded his friends?

“That’s the story we told everybody,” Brody says quickly, almost as if she’s trying to erase her guilt.

“Shut up!”

Brody frowns before she looks up, determined. “Cause Marlon was so ashamed of-”

“I said SHUT UP!” As the last syllable leaves his mouth, he brings the flashlight down on Brody’s head. Blood is dripping down her face and she’s falling to the ground before Clem can even react.

Clem stares with wide eyes at the dying girl. “Oh, shit. Brody, I’m sorry!” Marlon bends down and touches her elbow, shock on his face.

“What’ve you done,” Clem breathes.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. You’re gonna be okay, Brody. I promise.” Marlon looks to Clem. “Goddammit! Help!”

“What the fuck do you think I can do?”

“Just… stay with her. There’s a first aid kit around here somewhere.”

“Look at her,” Clem screams. “Fucking look at her! You think a first aid kit will do anything?” Marlon walks off with a shrug, looking dazed.

Clem turns to Brody, “Brody? It’s me, Clem. Stay still, okay?” Clem grabs her hand  
.   
“Who? I-I can’t… see.”

“Clementine, remember?”

“Clem, you’re in danger. All of your kids are, too.” Brody looks almost focused.

“What danger?” Finally, some answers.

“Marlon’ll kill me if I tell you. He’s scared. And when he’s scared, he gets angry."

“Please, Brody. If they’re in danger, you have to tell me.” Clem grasps her hand a little tighter.

“Everything is so faint. I can’t feel my legs.”

“Please, try and focus.” Clem is devastated that she has to press a dying girl for answers but her kids come first. They always have.

“If those raiders come back. Marlon said he’d trade you guys. To make them go away. Like he did…. Like he did with Tenn’s sisters.” Brody manages to finish before convulsing and falling still. Marlon looks upon the scene with shock before something suddenly dawns on him.

“Oh, fuck, no.” He drops the flashlight. “What the hell am I going to do?” Clem looks at him with fear. She’s not exactly in the most ideal situation. “She’s gonna turn.” Then, he runs.

Clem gets up and follows, a few steps behind. “Marlon!”

He closes the cellar doors, locking Clem in there. “Marlon, you son of a bitch! Don’t do this” Clem pounds on the door.

“I’m sorry… I can’t let you talk to the others.” Marlon tells Clem before running off, no doubt to accuse her of murder in front of the others.

Clem continues to pound on the door, “MARLON! GEN? ANYONE!”, to no avail. She stops herself and takes a breath. Clem has to calm down. “Huh. There’s a gap. If I can find something thin enough, I can open the door. See, a plan. Calm down.”

Clem carefully makes her way through the dark cellar until she finds the flashlight on the floor. She begins to scan the shelves for anything she can use to get out. Clem smiles as she spots a ruler. As she’s picking it up she hears a low growl. Clem looks around but sees nothing. She doesn’t have much time.

Clem is almost to the stairs, almost out, when the flashlight starts to flicker before going out entirely. “Oh, fuck.” She smacks it against her hand a few times and when it finally turns on she sees Brody coming towards her.

Clem stands there in shock, only for a second. She manages to shake herself out of it and push the shelf down onto the walker, trapping it. Clem quickly crawls through the clear space before running up the stairs.

Clem gets the ruler through, lifting the latch with a smile, when she feels something grab her from behind, causing her to tumble down the stairs. She lands with Brody on top her. The only thing stopping the walker from killing her is Clem’s hands on its throat. 

Clem looks around for a weapon, something. All she finds is the flashlight. She grabs it with a grimace, slamming it into Brody’s temple again and again until the girl lies still once more. Clem sighs, looking at her blood covered hands. Marlon could accuse her of murder and they would believe him. It was really time to go.  
-  
Clem climbs out of the basement to an even more chaotic scene. The rain is pouring and lightning is flashing. All the kids are gathered outside, watching her kids with wide eyes. Gen stands on the left with her slingshot loaded and in hand. Luke is on the right with baby Dio, who is wailing, in one hand and a knife in the other. And in the middle stands AJ, a gun pointed at Marlon, “Where’s Clementine?”

“AJ, put the gun down,” Louis says.

“Get these psycho kids away from me!”

“Marlon, please, where is she,” Gen asks in a much calmer tone. She is calmer but her weapon is still raised.

“She’s in the basement. She mur-murdered Brody!” 

Willy steps forward, shock on his face, “What?” Even AJ lowers the gun a fraction, almost like he believes him. That hurt more than it probably should have.

Clem starts approaching the group in a fit of rage, when Mitch asks, “Is that blood on your face?”

Marlon touches his face in shock before walking backwards.

“Get your fucking story straight, Marlon.” All the kids turn towards her, relief on the faces of only three. “You killed her. You hit her so hard, her head split open!”

“That’s a lie!” Marlon shouts back. “I saw you kill her! Look at her hands she’’s covered in Brody’s blood!” All the kids walk backwards, some muttering questions while others are just afraid.

AJ looks at Clem with shock and Marlon takes the moment to knock the kid over and take his gun, shoving Luke before backing away. Gen looks at her brothers in shock. Louis helps AJ up as Luke tries to quiet Dio.

Marlon begins to wave the gun around, getting everyone’s attention. “We saved their lives when everyone else would have just kept walking. We fed them, kept them warm. And this is how they repay us! With guns being pulled and murder! Well, FUCK them.” Marlon now has the gun pointed at Clem.

“You shoot me and what do you offer up to your raider friends when they come knocking? You really think a seven, five, and four year old and a baby will be enough to keep all your people safe?”

“What the hell is she talking about?!” Aasim gives Marlon an accusative stare.

“He won’t do it because he needs us alive,” Clem begins to answer.

“SHUT UP!”

“Or what? I’m not afraid of you, not like Brody.” Clem turns away from Marlon, addressing all the kids now. “Brody told me that Marlon was going to give me and my kids away to raiders in exchange for safety. Just like he did with Minnie and Sophie!”

“Shut the fuck up, Clementine.” Every person in the school yard look at Marlon in shock, despair, rage, or a combination of all three.

“Let her talk,” Aasim says, stepping forward.

“Brody told me the truth and that’s when Marlon killed her!” Clementine finally feels like they’re starting to see the truth. But of course, that doesn’t last.

“Aw, come the fuck on! They only met up with these raiders because Clem insisted they go out there! Quite the coincidence, isn’t it? Shame I don’t believe in those.” Marlon begins to walk towards Clem with the gun still raised. “Think about how scared we were when the adults all left. I pulled us out of that fear. I gave us all courage again. Who’re you all gonna believe, huh? Johnny-come-lately and her band of fucking lunatics or me, your friend?”

Clem looks around as Omar, Willy, Mitch, Ruby, and Aasim back away. If she doesn’t do something right now, he will kill her. “Louis, don’t let him do this.” She looks to Louis and she can’t help but feel ashamed at the amount of fear that is no doubt on her face.

“I told you, I am not involved,” Louis replies, wide eyed with his hands up.

“What the fuck,” Luke says. “You’re just going to let him shoot her?” Luke limps over to Clem and grabs her hand.

“Listen, I like you, Clem, but I… Not me. I’m sorry. You’re, uh, on your own. Sorry.”

“You better bury me deep, then, because when I come back I’m killing you first,” Clem says with as much venom as she can muster. “Stop burying your head in the sand. Step the fuck up!”

“Shit,” Louis breathes. “Marlon, c’mon. Put the gun down.”

“Louis! She. Killed. Brody! We can’t let her walk away!”

“Clem, I. I-I gotta trust Marlon.”

Clem sighs, it doesn’t look like she’s getting out of this one. “Gen, listen to me, are you listening?”

She nods. “As soon it’s morning you take your brothers and you leave. Take some of the supplies and just go. Don’t join any other groups. Even if they seem nice like this one did. You just go. Never stop.” Clem speaks the words quickly, not knowing when Marlon will pull the trigger. “I love you.”

“No, Clem! I’m not ready to be on my own,” Gen says, tears spilling and mixing with the rain. Maybe that sight is what finally caused Louis to step in front of Clem.

“You don’t know what you’re doing, man,” Marlon warns.

“C’mon, dude, just drop the gun. This is how adults do things, not us.”

“Stand down, Marlon. Be reasonable,” Aasim adds, stepping forward.

All the other kids take that as a cue to step forward. “You don’t get it. You don’t understand at all, do you? I’m trying to protect you!” Marlon gives the gun another wave, causing everyone to step back again.

“How does waving a loaded gun around protect anyone? Brody’s dead. Sophie and Minerva are gone. You suck at protection.”

“Shut your fucking mouth. I made the right call. I saved every single fucking person at this school. And if they came back, I’d do it again!”

“Excuse me,” Ruby says, in shock.

“I didn’t realize we were so fucking expendable,” Aasim adds in anger.

“You told me they died!” Comes Tenn’s broken cry. “Why would you do that? I trusted you, Marlon. THEY trusted you!”

“A good leader would’ve given himself up first,” Clem says, lost in memory.

Marlon lowers the gun a fraction. “I wanted to get them. Stage some sort of rescue. But I couldn’t, I was just too afraid.”

“You killed Brody because she knew?”

“Mmm-hmm. I didn’t mean to,” Marlon claims, sounding broken. “I didn’t want this. I wanted to save all of you. Sophie. Minerva. I didn’t want to hurt them.”

“Marlon, we can still fix this. It’ll be okay. We can make this right.”

“We’ll help you. We’re all family here. The only one we have left,” Louis gently adds.  
Marlon finally drops the gun. “I know I betrayed you. All of you. Just let me leave. You’ll never have to see me again. Just let me become… a bad memory. Just… give me that.”

“We-” Clem is cut off as a shot rings out. She looks behind Marlon to see AJ with a gun in hand, Gen pushing his arm upwards screaming, “He put it down.”

“What the fuck? Was he going to shoot him? What the fuck did you teach this kid,” Louis asks from behind Clementine.

“Calm down, Marlon’s fine everyone’s fine.” Clem sighs, rubbing her temples as she looks at the angry school kids and a broken Marlon and Tenn. “Clearly, not everyone has the same opinion on whether or not Marlon stays.” Clem looks at Violet and Mitch. “So, we’ll take a vote in the morning.”

“A vote. Yeah, that’s fair.” Ruby nods, murmurs of assent being passed around. 

“Do we keep him in the dorms with us? After he murdered Brody? What about the kid? He just fired the gun at us,” Mitch asks, pointing at AJ.

“Marlon can stay in the basement,” Aasim suggests. “Is… Is Brody down there?”

Clem nods.

“We’ll bury her tonight, then. And we’ll vote tomorrow. As for the kid…”

“I’ll deal with it,” Clem promises.

The group doesn’t exactly look reassured but they agree anyway. Aasim and Mitch take Marlon down to the basement as everyone else grabs bowls and starts to dig. “Luke, take Dio inside and get some sleep.”

Luke nods, still looking a little shocked.

Clem turns to the remaining two kids. They both look angry but Gen is angry at AJ and AJ is angry at everyone else. “C’mon. It’s gonna be a long night.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! Sorry for the suuuper late update but I've been working on my original work (which can be found here: https://www.booksie.com/592455-a-slave-to-man-and-magic) Shameless self plug complete!
> 
> In all honesty though, thank you so much to everyone who has read and commented and left kudos. I really never expected this fic to get as much attention as it did and all the amazing people on this website have made this such a positive experience. I hope you enjoy this chapter and that the next one comes a little sooner.

They manage to get Brody’s body into the hole by the time the sun’s rising. Everyone is exhausted and miserable. And they have to make a hard choice concerning Marlon in a few hours too.

Luke stands by Mitch, he is holding Willy’s hand and Mitch has a hand on each of their shoulders. None of the three really look upset, though. They look angry. AJ, on the other hand, is indifferent to it all. He stands at the edge of the crowd with his arms crossed.  
Gen stands next to Clem. She is crying. “Are you okay, Genny-Bug?” Clem adopts the nickname that she hasn’t used since she was a baby. Honestly, Gen probably doesn’t even remember ever being called that.

“Yeah. People always die. I was just being dumb and hoping this time would be different.” Gen wipes at her eyes. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be okay.”

Suddenly, the low chatter stops as Marlon approaches behind Tenn. “What the fuck is he doing here,” Mitch asks, looking just as pissed off as Luke and Willy.

“He knew Brody,” Tenn replies softly.

“He killed Brody,” Aasim reminds him.

Marlon doesn’t even say anything. It is almost as if he’s in a state of shock. Tenn grabs his hand. “We’re just having the service now and then we’ll take the vote. So, he has to be here anyway.”

Clem knows that Brody’s funeral won’t be a proper goodbye, it’ll be tinged with anger. And that’s no way to send a person off. “Don’t fight. Brody is dead, nothing you do can change that. Don’t disrespect her by fighting when you should be honouring her memory.”

Everyone, even Mitch, falls silent at the comment. Violet gently nudges Tenn forward. He holds a drawing in his hand. “Brody, you got nervous a lot but that was just because you were looking out for us. All of us. You made sure everyone was nice and that we were safe. You always said you wanted to go to the beach so I drew one for you.” Tenn places the picture on Brody’s grave and that’s it. It seems so little for someone who was so full of life twenty-four hours ago.

Even though the wound is fresh, everyone has seen so much death that they’re inside before they know it, everyone seemingly okay with the recent death. They all gather in the music room where they decided to take the vote, having Marlon anxiously wait outside.

“Okay,” Clem begins. “What’s it gonna be?”

“What the hell do you mean what’s it gonna be?” Mitch stepped forward with anger on his face. “Marlon was our leader when he wasn’t a murderer. Now, Brody’s dead and we find out there could be raiders on our ass? Let him fucking rot outside the walls. If we’re lucky, the dead will get him and leave us alone.”

“Okay, Mitch. We get you're pissed,” Aasim said. “But look at the big picture, if the raiders are coming, we need fighters. Even if they’re not then we still need to collect enough food for the winter. We lost a pair of hands yesterday and we can’t throw another one out now!”

“Is that all Marlon is to you? Just a pair of hands. A pair of hands that killed Brody and traded away my girlfriend and best friend!” Violet looked at Aasim with such hate that Clem really thought he would leave. But he stayed.

“Okay, so Mitch and Vi for no. Aasim for yes.” Clem looked at Omar and Ruby. “What about you two?”

“I meant what I said. Y’all are my family. We knew Marlon had trouble controllin’ his anger doesn’t mean we should kick him out.” Ruby nodded, her mind made up.

“I agree,” Omar added, simply.

“Well, you’re both dumb, then. Mitch is right,” Willy said. “Luke thinks so, too.” Luke nodded next to Willy.

“Me, too.” AJ walked over to them, his face set in a scowl. That is no surprise. AJ had been willing to pull the trigger the night before.

On one side of the room stands Aasim, Ruby, and Omar. On the other Mitch, Willy, Luke, AJ, and Violet. Clem, Tenn, Louis, and Gen are still undecided, standing in the middle of the room by the piano.

Clementine looks to Tenn as his vote probably counts the most. “Tenn?”

“I think we should let him stay.”

“Tenn, what the fuck,” Violet bursts in sudden anger.

“No, Vi! Minnie and Sophie are Marlon’s friends, I’m sure he just made a mistake and we should just give him a chance to get better. It was what Minnie would have wanted. Sophie too.” The boy steps over to Ruby with a small smile, leaving Clementine bewildered. The way he just easily forgives a murder is astounding. She has been in similar situations and it had never been so easy.

“He’s my best friend,” Louis whispers from beside Clem. She turns to him and sees the amount of shock, betrayal, and guilt on his face. “I should have known that he was so upset. I should have known but instead I wasted time playing stupid games. We can’t let him leave because we’re his family. He messed up but he was our leader, our friend. We can’t leave him out there to die.”

It is down to Gen and Clementine. It could still be a tie which would cause a whole slew of problems. “He’s a murderer. Bottom line, he’s dangerous…” Clementine mutters, too low for anyone except Gen to hear.

“Marlon was their friend and he saved us!” Gen says angrily. “You don’t leave friends behind and you definitely don’t let them get eaten by walkers.” Gen crosses her arms over her chest and suddenly Clem is in a different place. The low groan of the walkers are around her and the screams of that woman whose name she couldn’t remember filled the air. Ben stood, a slight smile on his face as Clem pleaded for him to stay. As Lee agreed with her. If she had been half the parent Lee was then she wouldn’t be in this situation right now.

“You’re right, Gen,” Clem whispers. She doesn't know how such a good child could have been born in this world. How such a good child had been raised by her. Her two boys are angry and want justice by murder. And she wants the same thing. But there is Gen, standing strong and being so brave and compassionate.

“Clementine, what the fuck?” Mitch glares at her. “You were there when he used a flashlight to cave Brody’s face in. He killed her!”

“I know.” Clem paused, hesitating. “But Marlon can stay because we’re leaving.”

“What,” AJ cries, his stoic look replaced by desperate one.

“Clem, please,” Luke begs. A lot of other voices throw up complaints but these are the one she picks up on.

“He’s not that big of a threat, Clem! You don’t have to be afraid,” Gen tries to reason. All of a sudden her kids forget their anger at each other and they are a united front. There are a few other complaints from the kids around the room but it is hers that she’s worried about.

“Listen to me.” Clem bends down so she’s at eye level with her kids. “What did you tell me, AJ? About the ranch?”

AJ looks down, taking a moment before answering. “That it was nice. Before the blood.  
“And I was wrong about David. You were there, Gen. I was so angry that he took Luke and AJ away but he took them to a good place, at least. This place?” Clem shakes her head. “The blood is coming. And when the dust settles, we'll be somewhere worse.” None of the kids remember Carver but Clem has a feeling they would land in a similar situation. 

“But what about them?” Gen points desperately at the kids around the room.

“They’re welcome to come but with or without them, we’re going. We’ve been alone before, we’ll be fine.” Clem stands up looking at the kids around the room. Despite their prior complaints, they stand still and silent. But Clem knows that they will not stay that way. “I’m gonna go get some of the supplies and our stuff. Then we’ll be out of your hair. Say goodbye guys.”

“You’re just going to steal our supplies, too?” Mitch steps in front of Clem with a look of outrage. “Come one, guys. She’s leaving now? What if Marlon was right and she is with the raiders? She’s probably just going to tell them where we are!”

Violet has her arms crossed over her chest with a glare on her face while the other kids looks more neutral. In reality, they’ve only been here for two days. They don’t know her.

“Just let her go, Mitch. Ericson isn’t her home. And we aren’t her family. If she thinks it’s best for the kids to go then we can’t stop her.” Louis looks at Clem but he doesn’t seem to be looking at her, it seems more like he’s looking through her.

“But the supplies!”

“She helped us get them.”

A tense moment passes until Mitch steps aside. Clem gives him a nod of thanks before setting off to their room.  
*  
“I’m gonna miss you. It’s been nice to be around girls for once.” Gen gives Ruby a hug before turning to Violet. “You’re pretty cool, Violet. Sorry that I sided against you.”

Violet gives Gen a small smile, “It’s okay.” Vi sighs. “Good luck out there.” 

Gen gives Vi a hug which she doesn’t return for a second. “I’ll miss you.’’  
*  
Almost a half hour later, Clem stands at the gate with a sullen AJ and Gen. Even Dio knows something is up as he’s fussy and upset in Clem’s arms.

Luke gives Mitch a hug and says, “If those raiders come here I hope you fuck them up. Too bad I won’t be here to help you.”

“Don’t worry, Luke. I’m sure there will be plenty of walkers for you to kill.” On that note, Willy steps forward and hands Luke a bow.

“You better practice. That way if we ever see each other again you’ll be able to keep up.” Willy claps Luke on the shoulder before they walk back over to Clem.

“I don’t want to go, Clem,” Luke says. 

“We have to, dummy,” AJ replies. He hadn’t spoken all morning, not saying goodbye to anyone.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find something,” Clem tells them like she always had.

“You don’t need to lie,” AJ replies before the group falls into a heavy silence.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. It has been so long since I've written anything. This chapter is kind of bad. I will warn you now that this chapter is a lot shorter than the other ones and it has less focus on the kids because I needed to introduce the delta. Enjoy!

The forest is oddly peaceful. Clem hasn’t been in very many foresty areas. It has always been snow, cities, or settlements. Obviously, though, she can’t fully relax when there are flesh eating monsters about but this is as close to peace as she can get.

The serene silence is broken by Luke’s loud grumble, “Clem, this bag is heavy. Will we find a car again?”

Clem sighs, “Probably not. We got lucky last time.”

“So we’re walking,” AJ sighs, huffing and puffing under his own bag. “My shoes are gonna break again. My feet are gonna bleed.”

“Don’t worry, AJ. I’ll just tape them up again,” Gen replies. Clem isn’t sure if this is intentional but it seems like they’re trying to guilt her into taking them back into Ericson. And she has to say that it is kind of working.

“I don’t like always moving around. Why can’t we stop running,” Luke complains.

“Look, guys, I know you liked Ericson and the other kids, I did too-”

“Then why can’t we go back,” AJ presses.

“Wait!” All her kids stop recognizing her tone. Even Dio falls silent. “AJ, stay here with Dio. Gen, Luke, c’mon.” Clem starts walking towards a noise she thought she heard. She can’t believe how lucky, or unlucky, she got in weaseling out of that conversation. The odd relief is quickly erased when she sees the man from the train station with a shotgun. He’s missing an arm.

Clem thinks that they can skirt him but it isn’t long before he spots them. Clem tries to fight him off but she still, somehow, ends up lying face down on the ground with a shotgun to her head. Gen and Luke stare at her, wide eyed, as the man, Abel, points his gun at them. “Please, don’t. Let them go,” Clem says, her voice sounding more frantic than she would’ve liked. 

“I saw these ones earlier. They’re fighters, all of them. You’ll like ‘em.” Abel ignores Clem’s pleads and talks to the person above her.

“We’re looking for a kid who runs a community near here.” And as soon as she speaks Clem knows who she is.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Clem hisses. Of all the goddamn fucked up people in the world who could be child snatchers it’s her?

“Fraid not. His name’s Marlon. I think we’re looking for your friends,” Abel replies, thinking that Clem is cursing at the fact that they’re looking for her friends.

Luke looks confused but Gen seems to comprehend that that isn’t what this is about. She still doesn’t completely understand the situation.

“Marlon’s dead, Lilly, you bitch.”

“Shit,” Abel says as Lilly freezes. “Well, this can still work. How about she just leads us to them. There were other kids with them. You want to help us talk to your friends?”

“Fuck off.” She knows that she abandoned them but that is just because she thought danger could be coming. Now that she’s in the middle of it she’s going to help the Ericson kids to the end.

Lilly still isn’t talking. Clem guesses she recognizes that she knew her but still doesn’t know who she is. “If you don’t, I'll be happy to blow someone’s head off. Maybe the girl first.” Abel smiles down at her.

Lilly finally seems to gain control of herself as she kicks Clem over, Gen screaming, “Clementine!”

Now that she is lying on her stomach, she can clearly see Lilly’s face. It hasn’t changed much besides a few more lines and shorter hair. Lilly looks shocked to see her, Clem can’t help but smile, “Surprised? I thought you died, you know.”

“I came close,” Lilly replies, offering a hand to her. This shocks Clementine to no end. She wants to accept it, similarly to how she wanted to pretend Kenny wasn’t crazy. But every time she met up with someone she hadn’t seen for even a few days everything went to hell. She stands on her own, trying to ignore the hurt look in Lilly’s eyes.

She looks over to Abel and Lilly follows her gaze, giving Abel a cold stare, causing him to lower his weapon. “Lee isn’t with you.” Lilly comments simply. Clem refuses to answer instead looking over her kids for any signs of injury. “So, he’s dead then.” Lilly pauses. “He was kind to me, even after I shot that girl.”

“Carley.” Clem supplies, trying to keep the hate off her face in order to ensure her kids’ safety.

Lilly turns away, seemingly ignoring the comment. “Lee should’ve never let me stay with the group. It was too easy to steal that RV and leave. He had too much faith in other people. Probably why he kept you around. Probably why he didn’t make it. Same thing will happen to you if you repeat his mistakes,” Lilly tells Clem glancing over at the two kids with something almost like sadness in her eyes.

It’s gone in an instant and Lilly is approaching Clem again, gripping her gun tightly. “You’ll die for these kids. You might be able to keep this up for a little while longer but eventually they’ll slow you down. A walker you didn’t spot. A bullet you couldn’t dodge. A desperate cry for help that brings the herd. It happened to Lee and it’ll happen to you, too.”

Clem is angry. Who does Lilly think she is, showing up all these years later, a child snatcher nonetheless, and telling her she’ll die because of her children. “Well, then I guess I’ll see you in hell,” Clem replies, trying to speak with as much venom as she can.

“You’ll be there a good long while before I show up,” Lilly replies, taking one more step forward. She sighs. “C’mon, Clem. You and a few other kids hiding out in the woods? You know that won’t last.”

 

“We don’t have time for this shit,” Abel exclaims.

“We’ve got history.”

“Great. You know her, I know her. Point is, we got a job to do.” Abel looks at Lilly with almost disgust on his face. Lilly frowns at him before turning back.

“You know we can help you raise them, Clementine, but we need you to do something for us.”

“What help you kidnap a couple more kids? Sorry, not interested.”

“We don’t need a couple. We need all of you,” Abel tells her, holding onto Luke’s arm and pointing his gun at Gen’s head. Luke watches the exchange with a barely tethered down rage whereas Gen is cold, calculating. One look at her tells Clem that she is trying to pull some sort of escape. Clem meets her eye and shakes her head just a bit. The silent conversation is stopped when Lilly steps in front of Clem, blocking her view of Gen.

“We can take you back to the Delta. We have walls. We have working solar panels and we make our own food. All we need from you is to go back to your friends and convince them to come peacefully. No one will be harmed.” Lilly’s tone is one you would use to speak to a frightened child and it aggravates Clem.

“I’m not Marlon. Pretty words about how great your life is isn’t going to convince me to sell out my friends. You’re not recruiting for their sakes which means there is some sort of catch.” Clementine is not stupid.

“Here’s what I’ll do. I’ll take the little boy here right now.” Abel pinches Luke’s arm, causing him to cry out. Clem almost says something until she sees AJ approaching with Dio in one arm and his gun in the other. “That way I’m sure you’ll play nice,” Abel finishes.

“Be smart about this, Clementine,” Lilly adds. “It’s an us or them situation. If you want to save your little ones, you won’t pick them.”

“RUN, AJ. Go back!” Clem shouts, hoping that he knows the way back to Ericson. That way he can warn Louis or Violet. If Clem ends up getting killed or captured she knows that they’ll keep him safe.

AJ, thankfully, listens and starts dashing through the forest, dropping his backpack in order to run faster. Abel let’s go of Luke and starts to run after AJ. Clem kicks Lilly’s leg, causing her to drop. “Run!”

Luke takes her hand and begins to run, Gen ahead of them. AJ doesn’t keep Lilly Abel and Lilly occupied long because soon they are chasing them. Luke is lagging behind a little and a shot rings out. He cries out and stumbles, Clem turns to see blood pouring out of his stomach. “For fucksakes.” 

Luke hops onto Clem’s back. With just the lip he could run but with the gunshot wound and the limp? He isn’t getting far. Clem begins to run again with Gen ahead of her and Luke on her back. She’s left wondering how the fuck she had ended up in this situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter brings the introduction of James!!! He's one of my favourite characters and I have BIG plans. (Not that big. Big in my mind.) Thanks for reading and see y'all around.


	9. A Quick Update

So, I'm a liar. I said weeeeeeeks ago that I would update this fic and I lied. I am so sorry, exams hit me like a truck. But tomorrow is the last one so I'll hopefully be done by then. That brings me to what I wanted to ask. Would you guys prefer if I finished the fic first and then posted daily (Time frame would probably be the end of August) or would you prefer if I continue to post as I go? Let me know. Again so sorry for the late update. All that stands between me and writing fan fiction is my math exam!

PS I also updated chapter 7, editing and everything. You don't have to reread it but it's there if you want it.

PPS Have any of y'all seen Kuroko no Basket because I just finished it and I need someone to vent to.


	10. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone, I am not dead!!! Sorry about the super long wait for an update but I really just kind of lost inspiration for this story. But, after seeing it in the depths of google docs, I thought it was time to pick it back up again so hopefully writing will come easier. I can't promise any form of time frame but I do promise I will finish this fic so thank you to everyone for supporting this fic.
> 
> Side note, this chapter might have a few spelling errors and I'm sorry about that but sometimes you just have to push through the writers block.

"How the fuck did we get in this situation," Clem hisses. She stands back to back with Gen, Luke propped up against a tree, clutching his wounds.

"Hell if I know," Gen replies, stumbling forward to take down yet another walker. "We're going to be walker food if this keeps up!" Gen bites her lip, her face covered in walker blood. Clem has been in pretty tight spots but she’s never seen her children this distressed. The only small comfort is that AJ and Dio should hopefully be back at Ericson’s and safe. That is if the raiders aren’t already killing people there.

They should have left as soon as she woke up. Then maybe Brody wouldn’t be dead. She just hadn’t wanted to wipe the smile off her kids’ faces. It is so rare to see them all so happy. It’s no use thinking of what ifs though.

Clem opens her mouth to reply, trying to think of some kind of solution, when she sees a fast moving walker in her peripheral vision. She dashes past Gen and lifts her knife. The walkers puts its hand on her mouth and she squeaks, hating herself for the sound.

Gen comes up from behind Clem, preparing to swing her knife when the walker speaks, "Too loud. Be quiet. Follow."

 

Gen stares at the walker with wide eyes, her knife almost falling from her hand. “What. The. Fuck! Is that skin?”

The walker-boy shoots her a glare before he throws a stone, distracting the remaining walkers with the noise. Clem, seeing no other choice but to scoop up a now unconscious Luke and run after the talking walker, Gen close behind her. 

Remember when we lived in a motel and our biggest concern was finding enough food, Lilly? Yeah, I don't either. Because it seems now I’m following creepy forest people who I don’t know and don’t trust. Clem thinks to herself.

The walker-no it was undoubtedly a person- leads them through the forest, occasionally chucking rocks to distract the walkers. Clem could tell that he knows the place well as he never faltered in the direction he was walking. He must have been here a while and had a set place in mind. That wasn’t good either. If he knew the area this well what’s to say he doesn’t have a group here.

As the last rays of sun begin to go down the person stops Clem pointing to a relatively flat rock that is next to what looks like a camp. "Lay him down there." Despite all the running, the boy isn’t at all out of breath, speaking with a soft, calm voice.

Clem obeys, grimacing as she looks at the three horrible wounds. Gen looks at her with wide eyes as she runs her fingers through Luke's hair, muttering things to herself. Gen has always felt more responsibility towards Luke than AJ ever had because she was the one who caused him to break his leg. The reason he was slower and more of a risk.

"I'll hold him down, you get the bullets out," the person, a boy, Clem guesses, says. He hands her a clean knife, noticing that Clem's own is covered in guts and wouldn't be much help.

Clem takes the knife, forcing her hands to stop shaking. She never wants to hold a weapon over someone she loves even though she knows it’s for their own benefit. "It'll be okay, Clem." Gen gives her a reassuring smile and puts her hands over Clem’s for a second, steadying them. Clem nods and looks at her wounded boy.

They’re lucky the boy is there to watch their back while Gen watches the front as with each fragment removed Luke gets louder and louder before apologizing for drawing in monsters. “Don’t worry about it, kid. This is the last one and then we can tape you up,” Clem reassures him.

“Okay,” Luke replies, biting his lip as he waits for Clem to remove the final fragment. Clem clenches her teeth and raises the knife.

“All done!” The boy pulls tape from his pocket and puts it over the wounds. Clem can’t help but think of how much pain Luke will be in when the have to take it off for an actual bandage. 

“Thank you,” Clem says, but the boy is already gone, sitting by a fire she hadn’t noticed before.

Clem took Luke in her arms, allowing Gen to guide them to the fire. Clem collapses against a tree with a sigh. It’s hard to believe that this morning they were burying Brody. It has been a long day. Clem closed her eyes, enjoying the silence for just a moment.

“I didn’t mean to endanger you the walkers were sent to help you,” the boy tells her. Clem opens her eyes slowly and the sight she sees is too funny not to laugh at.

Gen is standing next to the boy and reaching out to touch the skin with a freaked out expression on her face, “You can control the walkers? That is so cool! Is this skin walker skin? Is that how you do it? Can you teach me?”

 

“Gen,” Clem snaps, a little harsher than she intended to. Gen freezes and glances back at Clem, abashed. Clem taps her lip and Gen nods.

“Sorry,” Gen says, moving around so she’s sitting next to Clem. The boy looks more than a little relieved once Gen is out of his face. Clem can tell he hasn’t been around people for a while. She isn’t sure whether or not to be relieved. She guesses that only time will tell if he can be trusted. He saved them… but why?

The boy looks to Gen with a soft expression on his face, “Was part of a group. Call themselves Whisperers.” His face took on a harsher tone. “They’ve learned to live in herds, among walkers. Move among them. Sometimes, guide them.”

“That sounds really cool! Does that mean they were safe all the time? The walkers never got them?” Gen’s voice began to rise in excitement again before she looks towards Clem, then another expression crossed her face, one that Clem thought was suspicion. “But they must have done something really awful if you would leave the group.”

“Do they live around here? Should I be worried,” Clem adds trying to get as much information as possible out of the boy. Gen looks to her and nods, smiling. Her and Gen had almost always been on the same page. It’s nice to have that kind of bond with someone.

“They attacked a community. I saw the carnage. Didn’t want to be a part of it.” The boy looks to Gen and Clem in turn with a pained expression. “It was a long time ago. I don’t know where they are any more.”

Gen’s suspicious glare melts into one of sympathy. “I guess that just makes you a good person. That’s good. Not too many of those left.”

James opens and closes his mouth, looking like he wants to say something but isn’t sure the correct response for what Gen said. He is spared having to say anything when Luke groaned, shifting next to Clem.

“What’s wrong? Does it hurt?” Clem puts a hand on his face, a worried expression pulling her face. She tells her kids that they’re going to make her wrinkle early but they still go and do things like fall down stairs and get shot. 

“Hungry,” Luke says. Clem bites her lip, thinking of the backpacks they had full of food. Who knows where they even ended up by now.

“Sorry, bud-” Clem is cut off when the boy holds an apple out towards them. 

“Eat. All of you.” 

Clem bites her lip before reaching out and taking the apple. Surer, he’s a little weird but he wouldn’t offer poisoned apples to children, right? Clem’s paranoia is definitely getting the better of her. “Thank you.”

She splits the apple in half and hands half to Luke, who bites into it with gusto, and the other half to Gen. Gen scowls at her before breaking her own piece in two and handing it back to Clem. “You need to eat too. You starving to death isn’t going to help Luke or me. I know they’re you’re favourite.”

Clem smiles at the girl, remembering the motel when Lee gave her the last apple, “How did you know apples were my favourite,” Clem asks, biting into her piece as Gen does the same. 

“Because whenever we find any canned apples or applesauce it’s always open the next day. Luke and AJ never seem to know what happens to it either,” Gen comments dryly as she scoots closer to Clem. Clem shakes her head with a fond smile on her face as she wraps her arm around the girl.

“Do you have a name,” Clem asks the boy, deciding not to give Gen the satisfaction of admitting what they both already know.

The boy chuckles, “Been a while.”

“Since?”

“I’ve said it.” Gen shoots Clem a look and mouths Why wouldn’t he say his name? 

Because he’s alone, Clem mouths back as the boy pulls his mask off, revealing a boy a lot younger than one she would have expected. He was definitely older than Clem but it couldn’t have been by much.

“James.”

“Are you named after someone in your family,” Gen blurts.

“I-I don’t think so,” James stammers out, looking extremely confused by the question.

“Oh, so it’s just you who’s really boring. Alvin Junior and Luke Junior.” Gen rolls her eyes. “Meanwhile all you pre apocalypse kids get cool names like Clementine, Gabriel, Mariana, and, I don’t know, James!”

Clem throws her hands up, momentarily forgetting that James is sitting right across from them, “What do you mean? You’re name is Genevieve and Dio’s name is Diego. I put an effort in for half of you,” Clem points out.

“You are unbelievable. I’m done with you.” Gen snaps her attention away from Clem and hops up, walking over to James. “Can I see hold your mask? I’ll give it back, pinky swear.” 

James looks at the offered pinky and wraps his own around her finger, smiling at her and hands her the mask. “Only for a minute,” he says.

“Yeah, yeah,” Gen replies holding the mask up to get a better view of it before handing it back to him. “If it’s hard to guide herds even with the mask then why did you help us, James?”

James takes the mask back and stands up, walking a few steps away from the fire. “The people who attacked you. What do you know about them?”

“Honestly, not much besides the fact that they take kids,” Clem replies before Gen can answer.

“That’s a common practice for them.” James turns towards Clem. “They’re at war, up north. Their whole community against another. It’s why they take people to make them fight. Train them. Use them. You would join their war.”

Clem looks at her two kids, thinking also of the two that weren’t with her, and imagines them alone and scared and expected to kill other human beings who had done nothing to them. She imagined them getting killed for a community they didn’t care about. “That’s horrible.”

“It is. That’s why I helped you,” James replies, simply.

“Thank you,” and Clem wishes she could convey how much she truly means those two words. James looks at her with a soft smile, one of understanding, and all of a sudden, Clem feels like she can trust him. 

The connection is broken when they hear a soft rustling in the bushes followed by a low groan. Clem hops up with her knife in hand, Gen close behind her. “Wait,” James calls, holding a rock. “Throw it. Distract him. It works just as well and know one has to get hurt. Not you. Not them.”

Clem hesitates, thinking of how Lee practically begged her to shoot him so he wouldn’t have to become a walker. How she would ask the same thing of her children. What if they’re trapped in some kind of hell as walkers? Wouldn’t it be better to just put them out of their misery instead of distracting them?

Clem hesitates a little to long and Gen grabs the rock for her, chucking it a fair distance away, the walker follows the noise and soon the only noise they hear is the steady crackle of the fire. 

“Thank you,” James says, walking back to the fire. 

Clem bites her lip, unmoving. Gen takes her hand. “Don’t worry. Even the best of us freeze up sometimes. We just have to make sure we stay out of our own head enough to notice what’s going on, right?”

“Exactly,” Clem replies with a smile, allowing Gen to lead her back to Luke. It seemed being around people hadn’t been good for her after all. Humans are weird. A lot harder to understand then the predictable dead.

“Safe,” Luke mutters under his breath.

“It was difficult. To send the herd in to save,” James says, tearing Clem’s attention away from Luke. “I didn’t want them to die.

Clem bites her lip again. James is awfully different from the bloodthirsty monster most people were these days. A moment passes in silence before Clem decides it’s ample time for a topic change. “So, James, do you just hang around in the woods? Saving random people?”

“After I left my group, I wandered. First time alone, ever.” James folds his hands and looks down. “Saw war everywhere. First against walkers, then against each other. Hoped it would be better here.” James shrugs before looking up. “Where are you from? Here? Or somewhere far away?”

“Georgia, originally. But that was a long time ago. What about you,” Clem asks, unsure of how to deal with… small talk.

“You’re a long way from home. I’m from Washington.”

“The city or the state?”

“City. My dad owned a food truck. I helped”

“Why is there more than one place called Washington, “ Gen muttered to herself. Luke starts to pant and she reaches over to put her hand to Luke’s head. “Um, Clem? Is it just me or is Luke warm?”

Clem tests him and sighs. “You’ve got a fever.”

“His wounds will need proper cleaning. And medicine, if you’re lucky enough to have any.”

Clem thinks of the likelihood of them finding medicine on the road and groans. “The school might have some but I don’t think some of them will be very happy to see me again.”

“That’s why those people attacked you, isn’t it? To get to that school. To take more guns. More fighters. Until there’s no one left inside,” James cautions. 

“They won’t be able to fight them off.” All of a sudden Clem is wracked with guilt as she thinks of Violet and Ruby and, god, Louis, who are now alone and will have to face the threat of raiders.

“You need medicine. You’ll have to go back or you’ll lose him.”

“Well, I’ll have to go back to warn them about the raiders in the area at the very least. Hopefully, they’ll be kind enough to help Luke, too,” Clem says, not really seeing another option besides handing themselves over to Lilly, and they sure as hell weren’t doing that.

“They’ll help Luke, right,” Gen asks, worried.

“I guess we’ll find out tomorrow,” Clem replies, James nodding with her. Luke’s yawns mark the end of the conversation.

“You should sleep, both of you. I’ll keep watch,” James tells them, poking at the fire with a long stick.

Immediately, Clem’s suspicion flares again. It’s not that she doesn’t trust that James wants to help them at this point, it’s just it’s been a long time since anyone besides her kids were watching her back. “I’ll stay up with you,” Clem respond, a little too quickly. “You get some sleep, James. You too, Gen.”

Gen tucks herself up against Clem and closes her eyes, asleep almost instantly. 

“Well, I’ll keep you company then,” James says, settling against the tree. “You watch my back, I’ll watch yours.”

“Nice change of pace,” Clem whispers as she prepares herself for what will undoubtedly be a long night.


	11. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Another chapter done. This one is a little bit shorter because the next to are going to be a little bit longer. I call them 'Fun Times At Ericson Before The Shit Hits The Fan' Part 1 and 2 respectively. Huge thanks to everyone who has stuck around for this crazy ride and thanks to everyone who has left comments and kudos, they've really been making my days. Enjoy the chapter!

On second thought, maybe I should’ve taken him up on his offer and slept, Clem thinks as she hoisted Luke up higher in her arms for what felt like the millionth time. In that moment, she’s grateful for Gen’s quiet presence next to her. For someone she trusts to be watching her back.

James comes to a stop on a small bridge crossing a river she vaguely recognizes. It’s odd to have to rely on someone else to lead her back to a place. She’s never really been somewhere long enough to need to be led back. It is comforting, in a way, to know that somewhere in the sea of dead is a school filled with living, breathing people.

“Is he awake?” James’ soft voice breaks her out of her quiet thoughts, causing her to cast a glance all around her before processing the question he asked.

“Yeah. He’s so hot,” Clem replies, putting a cheek to Luke’s forehead. The last time he had an infection this bad had been when he had broken his leg as an infant. Clem hadn’t thought that he would survive that but he got lucky. She wasn’t eager to go through another infection with the same child.

“I can carry him. You’re exhausted,” James offers once again. For a second, Clem wants to say yes and hand the burden off to someone else, but of course she can’t. Luke was her friend. Jane was too. Even if what she had done after giving birth to Luke was wrong. Even if Clem was so angry that she had killed herself and left Clem, a twelve year old, alone with three young children.

“No. I’ve got him.” James nods in reply and continues walking.

“One foot in front of the other-”

“Just like always,” Gen finishes, talking for the first time all morning. “You always find a way to take care of us, Clem. I don’t think this time will be any different.”

“Thanks.” Clem smiles and Gen smiles back, a moment of silent connection passing between them. Clem loves her boys but she is grateful to Christa and Omid that they could bless her with a girl, too.

Clem follows James, beginning to recognize the ribbons marking the traps. They’re close. 

“It hurts,” Luke sniffles, quiet enough for only Clem and Gen to hear.

“Don’t worry, we’re right here,” Clem replies with a reassuring smile as they begin to approach the gates. 

“Walker!” A voice exclaims, breaking the silence and almost peacefulness of the silence surrounding them.

An arrow crashes into the ground before James feet with a solid thump, causing all four of three of them to take a step back. Clem looks up to see Willy holding a bow, he looks a little glad to see Clem before replacing the look with one of betrayal. Then he spots Luke. “I’ll go get Violet. And Louis.” Willy disappears behind the wall.

For a few beats, all that fills the silence is Clem’s panting. “Look, you live out there alone, right? You could stay with us.”

James casts a pointed glance towards the arrow and sighs, “Not ready.” Whether or not he is referring to himself being not ready to live among another group or if another group is unready to accept him as he is, Clem can’t tell.

James walks away without another word, leaving Clem alone with Luke’s pained groans, Gen’s quiet worry, and the wind in the trees. In the quiet, Clem can’t help but feel her own anxiety rise. Willy did not mention AJ or Dio.

Clem takes a few steps forward. “I can’t keep carrying you!” The words burst from her mouth before she can stop them. She sighs, “We’ll be inside soon. Rest now.”

Clem takes a step forward and all of a sudden, she’s falling. She hits the floor with a solid thump. 

“Are you okay,” Gen cries out as Louis runs from his place inside the gate, AJ, much to Clem’s relief, right behind him.

“Shit. Is he…” Louis trails off, unable to finish the sentence after looking at Clem’s broken expression.

“He’s alive,” Clem exclaims a little to forcefully. “He was shot. He has a fever.”

“Come on. Let’s get him inside,” Louis adds quickly, casting a nervous glance around them. Whether or not he was worried about Raiders or Walkers was the real question. Clem supposes either would be a viable fear.

“I can’t,” Clem replies, deflated. She hates admitting when she can’t do something. She’s supposed to be the one her kids depended on, someone they thought was strong. They couldn’t see her acting weak.

Louis doesn’t hesitate to scoop Luke up, leading Clem and Gen into the school. “Don’t worry, Clem. The ones who are upset will find a way to forgive you. It’ll just take time.” Gen clasps Clem’s hand tightly, seemingly able to read the hesitant steps Clem takes towards the gates. It’s not like she had much of a choice.

*  
“Let me see,” Ruby says at once, leaning over Luke to examine the wound. Violet and Willy stand behind her, one looking betrayed and the other, angry. “I have what I need upstairs. Come on!”

Louis begins climbing the stairs with Luke in tow. “We got the shrapnel out of him,” Clem informs Ruby.

“We?” A suspicious look flashes across her face.

“Oh, man, AJ. It was so cool. There was a guy who lived out in the woods with the walkers. He had a skin mask. He let me hold it and it was pretty awesome,” Gen says to AJ behind Clem.

AJ runs up to hold Clem’s hand, a disappointed expression on his face. “What? Clem, is that true?”

Clem chuckles, “It’s a long story. Is Dio here?”

“He’s asleep. As soon as I saw you guys with those people, I ran back to the school. I went to get someone to help you but by the time Louis and Marlon came with me, you were gone.” AJ looks downwards. “Sorry, I couldn’t help you.”

“You got Dio and yourself somewhere safe. That was more help than anything.”

AJ perks up but frowns again as Louis sets Luke down on a beat up old couch. “Is Luke gonna die from being shot like my dad was?”

“Naw, sug. He’s running a fever. Body’s trying to fight infection, poor little guy.”

“Ruby and Louis will take care of Luke. We’re gonna have to talk in the office,” Violet says to Clem. Clem nods, reluctant to leave Luke’s side.

“Clem,” Luke calls out, sounding broken and afraid.

Clem goes back to him and plants a kiss on his forehead. Luke was the closest thing she had to her own child as she was always the only one he had. The others had their parents, for however short a time. “What do we do when we’re afraid.”

“We say, ‘fuck off fear’! I’m okay now, Clem.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll stay with him,” AJ says.

Clem nods and follows after Violet, Gen close behind her. Violet walked over to Marlon’s dek but did not sit down, instead folding her arms over her chest and looking away. 

“Why are you back, Clementine,” she asks, the hint of anger in her voice not lost on Clementine. “All that talk of Marlon being a coward for letting the twins get taken and then you abandon us. The only reason you came back is for Luke, isn’t it?”

“No.” Clementine sighed, squeezing Gen’s hand as she grabbed it. “The raiders are here and they’re coming to this school to take everyone with them.”

“Fuck,” Violet breathed before her eyes widened. “Willy said there was someone else with you. He said he saw someone else. If you knew there were raiders why would you bring someone else back here.”

“I know I probably haven’t earned it, but trust me: James is cool. He’s not working with the raiders. Instead of focusing on that you might want to focus on fortifying this place for when the raiders actually do come.”

“Do you know how to do that,” Violet asks, exhaling a long breath and seemingly calming herself down a fraction.

“Yes, I was part of a siege in a town called Richmond.” Clem’s chest hurts as she thinks of Javi and Kate. Even of Eleanor, the traitor, and how all that was left in Richmond was blood and dead. She wouldn’t let that happen here, she decided. Who knew, maybe this could be home? 

Clem steps forwrad and pulls out the map of the school Marlon had given her a few days ago. “Look, the courtyard is wide open, if we flip a few tables and stuff we can funnel them. We’ll have more places to hide to pick them off, too. We can make our stand in the admin building, we can set traps and stuff in there.” Clem looks at the walls last. “Your walls are already pretty solid but we can fortify the gate and-”

“We have barbed wire in the greenhouse. We can use that.” Violet points at the abandoned greenhouse.

“Is it true, are they back,” Mitch asks as he bursts into the room. “What the hell? I thought you were gone for good.” Mitch, like Violet, sounds angry but there’s a little bit more concern in his voice. He undoubtedly saw Luke on his way in.

“Yes, and you’re going to help Clementine get the barbed wire from the greenhouse. Bring Marlon, too. He could use a job.”

“Who put you in charge,” Mitch grumbles.

“Since we can’t trust Marlon and no one else stepped the fuck up,” Violet replies. “Now, go.”

Clem looks to Gen, “Stay here with Luke.” She turns to Mitch who is already out the door. 

“I guess I’ll go get Marlon,” she mutters. Gen looks at her with no small amount of pity.


	12. Fun Times At Ericson's Before The Shit Hits The Fan Pt 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy! (Also I know I said that this chapter would be longer but it didn't flow well with the extra part I wanted to add so I split it into two chapters)

“I’m going to the greenhouse to get some stuff to defend the school, okay,” Clem says to Luke, putting a hand on his warm forehead. “Gen and AJ and going to stay here with you and Dio and if you need anything, Ruby’s here.” Clem points at the redhead standing a small distance away before ruffling Luke’s hair and smiling at AJ and Gen once more. 

“Where did Louis go,” she asks the redhead in passing. 

“He went to go sit with Marlon. Soon as you left he shut himself up in his room. He won’t leave, won’t do nuthin,. When he went with Louis and AJ to help you, that was the first time out of his room,” Ruby replies, a small frown on her face. “He… he killed Brody. And he didn’t mean to. He has to deal with that now, just like the rest of us.”

Clem nods and sets off in search of Marlon’s room, reflecting on what they had said. Murderers were unhinged, weren’t they? Hadn’t Lee done the same as the Ericson kids? Hadn’t he thought Lilly family and let her stay in the group? He had and it came back to bite them on the ass, her more than anyone else. No, Marlon is definitely not someone that Clementine can trust. 

It isn’t long before Clem stumbles into what must be Marlon’s room. Louis sits outside of it with his head rested on the door and his knees tucked up against his chest, “They came back, you know. Why don’t you try…”

Louis trails off as he sees Clem approach. Clem nods at him before leaning over him and trying the door. Locked. Lovely.

Clem sits next to Louis and sighs. “They’re coming, you know. The raiders.” Clem directs the comment at Louis but really intends for Marlon to over hear them.

“The people who took Minnie and Sophie?” Louis looks at her. “I guess they just couldn’t stay away from Marlon’s beautiful mullet.” Louis smiles but it’s fake. Forced.

“This is your chance, you know. If you really feel bad about killing Brody, about trading away the twins, then this is your chance to make it up to everyone. If you stay locked behind this door you really are just a coward.”

“How?” A small sniffle comes from behind the door, the voice sounding broken and small. 

Clem allows herself a small smile. Maybe this would be easier than she expected. “Mitch and I are going to the greenhouse to get some stuff to protect the school. If you come with us, you helped protect us, which is what you want. Right?”

There’s no answer except the rustling of fabric and then the small click of the lock turning. Marlon emerges from the dark room with red rimmed eyes. He doesn’t dare meet either Clem or Louis’s eyes, instead staring at the ground.

Louis throws an arm around him, “My main man Marlon has emerged from his cavern of despair for the second time in two days. Must be the end of the world.” Louis pauses. “Main man Marlon. Say that ten times fast.”

“Get off me,” Marlon mumbles.

“Sorry, can’t. Rosie and I never leave you alone. We’re needy like that. Which is why I’m coming with you guys. You know, neutral third party and all that.” Louis waves a hand.

“I thought Mitch was the neutral third party,” Clem mutters in reply.

Louis just laughs at her. “Oh, sweet, naive Clemmy. Chaotic neutral, more like. Now, come on.” 

Louis sets off with Marlon in tow, Clem has no choice but to roll her eyes and follow.

*  
The greenhouse was only about a ten minute walk from the school. An awkward walk that was mostly silent, besides Louis’s attempts at joking which Mitch quickly shut down, but a short walk nonetheless.

Clem couldn’t help but feel an odd sort of peace as she entered the clearing in front of the greenhouse. The morning sun filtered through the trees and dappled across the soft grass and across her face, leaving her feeling warm and tranquil. The wind softly blew, rustling the leaves of the trees and for a moment everything is blissfully quiet. Clem, despite loving her children with all her heart, misses the silence.

“It’s so different,” Louis whispers in a rare moment of seriousness. He quickly corrected himself with a small laugh. “Time flies when you’re having fun.”

He reached for the door handle and tried to force the door open, the door not giving an inch. “It’s not gonna budge,” Mitch snaps as Louis throws himself at the door in a dramatic fashion.

“Then look for another way in,” Clem retorts absentmindedly as she watches Marlon watch the group from a distance. He looks… sad. Clem can’t help but feel a small amount of pity for him. 

Mitch goes off in one direction, grumbling to himself as Louis goes to stand next to Marlon, trying to get the teen to look at him, to smile, to do anything. 

Clem walks over to Marlon but he doesn’t meet her eye. “Do you really think that they can just forgive and forget if I help you guys now?”  
“Marlon, you’re my brother. You were our leader and our friend, of course they can-”

“No.” Clem looks at Louis who gives a small frown. Marlon finally meets her eye but his own face is a war of emotions. He looks grateful that she said the answer that he no doubt wants someone to say but he also looks afraid. 

“They won’t forget. And forgiveness will take time, and lots of it. What you did wasn’t just a small mistake, you traded your friends away, and maybe you’re intentions were good, but then you lied about it afterwards. They can’t forget about it, they won’t. But they can forgive you, but that means you’re going to have to ask for forgiveness. You know, instead of hiding in your room.” 

Clem walks away before Marlon or Louis can reply to her lecture. These people aren’t her kids, she has no right to say anything. It seems that not being around people besides her kids for so many months has affected her, too.

Clem runs her hand along the dilapidated boards of wood situated around the greenhouse before spotting a ladder. Before pointing it out she looks for a stretch of glass she can look through, wanting to know what she’s getting into before hand. “You can’t see shit,” she mutters.

“There’s too much condensation on the inside,” Mitch replies from beside her. 

“Well, now, that’s a big word for you, Mitch. Been doing some reading,” Louis teases as he leads a stoic Marlon over to them.

“Shut the fuck up.”

“Ouch, that really hurt-”

“I guess the only option is up,” Clem points to the ladder, deciding to end the argument before someone, most likely Mitch, punched Louis. “I need a boost.”

“Why don’t we send Marlon first,” Mitch mutters. “Send the one we don’t mind losing.”

“Dude, come on.”

“He says he wants to make up for trading Soph and Minnie away. Why doesn’t he stick out his neck?” Mitch scowls at Marlon who looks at his feet. 

“We have a job to do, raiders could be at your door at any minute, and you’re fighting about who goes first. You’re unbelievable, just boost me up so we can get this done and I can go make sure Luke is okay.”

At the mention of the four year old boy, Mitch’s anger seems to melt away and he steps forward, helping Clem up. “Be careful,” he mutters, the closest thing to an apology that she’ll get.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” Clem scales the rusty ladder, a little concerned about the missing rungs and age of the thing, before dropping into the room below through a hole in the roof.

Clem lands on the floor with a heavy thump, careful not to put her hands down on the stone floor in case of glass shards. The greenhouse was dark and smells faintly of dust and dead. 

Clem holds her breath for a second, listening to the greenhouse around her. She isn’t disappointed when suddenly the silence shatters by the low groan of the dead. Clem pulls out her knife, scanning the area. 

The two are so decayed that you can barely see the person they once were beneath the coating of muck, plants, and dead skin. Clem’s surprised they’re even able to walk. The fact doesn’t stop her from kicking the knee out from the closer one before slamming her knife into its head.

She swears as the knife gets stuck and the other walker approaches her. “What’s going on in there,” Mitch shouts from the other side of the door.

“I’m fine,” Clem screams back as the knife comes free. She turns, fear grabbing her as the walker grabs her wrist. “Fuck off,” she mutters, kicking the walker’s already fragile leg. Thankfully, it drops and it doesn’t take her long to kill it. 

She wipes her hands and puts her knife away as she goes to the door. “Ta-da,” Clem says, waving her hands with a flourish. 

“You really kicked their asses,” Mitch says as he walks in, eyeing the walkers’ corpses.

“Wild ginger, eastern prickly pear, Jerusalem artichoke, false Solomon’s seal, and winter savoury. How thy bring tears to my eyes.” Louis wipes at his face even as a large grin spreads across his face.

“Huh, never took you for a green thumb,” Clem comments as she crosses his arm.

“Yeah he and Ruby used to be here all the time. You know, back when he was useful,” marlon replies with a small smile before looking away.

“I’m still useful. Not a single person could match my musical prowess.” Louis puts a hand over his chest and closes his eyes.

“Uh-huh.” Mitch starts looking through the cabinets. “Hey, look at this!”

Clem leaves Louis and Marlon to look at their herbs. It’s not like Cle would be any help, she didn’t even recognize the names they said, let alone how to cook them. Mitch stands before a large green cabinet, which contains several rolls of barbed wire. “Cool, you found it! Now, we can go.”

“Hell no we can’t! The barbed wire is cool and all but this is what I was talking about.” Mitch points at the bags of fertilizer. “Didn’t realize they left so much unused.”

“What are you gonna do with dirt,” Clem asks, not really following.

“Make bombs.”

“Bombs? Are you serious?” Clem can’t help the edge of skepticism in her voice.

“Totally! I used to do this stuff all the time at home.”

“Returning to your roots, dear Mitch?” Louis sidles up next to Clem. “He used to blow things up. That’s why he’s a troubled youth.” 

“Somehow, that’s not very reassuring.” Clem crosses her arms over her chest. “What else do you need?”

Mitch smiles at her, looking more like a kid in a candy store than a teen considering how to make bombs. “Just propane and something to create the spark. It might be…” Mitch trails off as he looks towards the overgrown door leading to the back room. “C’mon and help me.”

It wasn’t hard for the two of them to pry open the door using a convenient crow bar that was left in the greenhouse. “You guys coming,” Clem asks, looking at Louis and Marlon who were still standing over the herbs.

“You go ahead. I want to pick some of these for Chef Omar, Ruby’ll like em, too.” Louis stands in the garden with a soft smile on his face, no doubt reminiscing about the past. Clem can’t help but smile as she sees the person behind the jokes and the happy-go-lucky attitude.

“Okay. You’ll stay with him?”

Marlon gives her slight nod. “Yeah. You go on ahead.”

Mitch waits by the door, impatient as ever. “You could have went in without me, you didn’t need to-” Clem cuts herself off with a shriek as a hand clamps down on her wrist. She reaches into her back pocket for the knife she always keeps there when she realizes that the walker is so decayed that it is more a plant than anything else.

Marlon bursts into the room first, Louis following behind him with pockets stuffed full of herbs. “What’s wrong- Oh, no.”

“What is it,” Clem asks as she detaches herself from the walker that claws futilely at her. She eyes the creature with disgust, wondering if it will jump at her. 

“Ms. Martin was her name, the school nurse. Ruby adored her. She was there the day the greenhouse got overrun. She got Ruby and Louis out but…”

“Yeah.” Clem looks down. “We should… let her rest.” Clem takes a step forward, knife in hand when Louis stops her, grabbing her hand.

“Do you mind if I? She saved me so…” Louis suddenly looks a little flustered, probably not used to being serious. “You know I should be the one to do the solemn deed.” He smiles but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

Clem says nothing, instead replying by handing him the knife and turning away. Mitch’s already looking around, not really caring about the dead teacher before them. He smiles as he finds a can of propane. “We just need something to make the spark.”

“Does this… thingy? work?” Clem shows him a contraption she found in a drawer. 

“Sweet, I was hoping there’d be one of-”

Mitch is voice is cut off by the groan of the walker as Louis shoves the knife in her skull. “Well, I’m going to go and give this stuff to Omar.”

“You’re just ditching before we have to carry all this stuff,” Mitch tells him as he picks up the propane.

“No, I’m not. I have a very important piano practice to get to,” Louis retorts, setting off ahead of them. It’s sad to see him so upset, because he is, he’s not just joking. Clem can tell.

“We should bury her,” Marlon bursts.

“What? Why? She’s just a walker. Burn her and move on. Why waste the energy.”

“Because Ruby will be upset if we do,” marlon insists. “She looked up to Ms. Martin a lot. And Ms. Martin stayed and helped us. She deserves more than just some random walker.”

“It’s a good idea. You have the opportunity to give someone you care about the send off they deserve. What’s a little extra energy,” Clem adds, thinking of all the people she left unburied. Kenny, Jane, Kate, Lee.

“Whatever. You can waste your time, I’m not.”

*

That’s how Clem found herself outside the greenhouse with a trowel in hand. Marlon had the only shovel and was making quick progress. “Why are you really doing this?”

“Because I hurt them. So, I should make them happy, even just a little bit. It’s the least I can do.”

The conversation ceased after that and the two worked, not speaking. Only the birds in the tall, sun dappled trees could be heard, yet it was not awkward. In fact, it had an odd sort of feel of camaraderie, of friendship even. It was not a feeling Clem was used to. Especially when the person she was with was a murderer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting to sound like a broken record but sorry for the long wait. I actually have gotten ahead in this story so you can expect a chapter every Thursday (starting next week) until the work is finished. I just wanted to take the time to truly say thank you to everyone who read (and put up with my stupidly inconsistent schedule) as well as left kudos and comments. They've been making my days, so thank you so much for taking the time to read the work of some random fifteen year old girl on the internet because it really means a lot.


	13. Fun Times at Erison Before the Shit Hits the Fan Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The title says it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE!!! Early update! This chapter has been on my mind for a while but I couldn't think of a good place to put it until now. It's kind of filler and a little short but I hope you enjoy it anyway!
> 
> Also, riding this new wave of motivation, I'm think of updating twice a week rather than once, what do y'all think of that? Would you rather just once on Thursday or twice on probably Sunday as well as Thursday? Let me know!

AJ walks through the quiet halls of Ericson with a small smile on his face. He is so happy that Gen and Luke and Clem had been okay. He runs his hand along the black graffiti that covers the wall and let the motion calm him. Clem had always told him that he shouldn’t touch everything or he would get germs, but he likes to touch all the surfaces. Just to see what they feel like.

The walls of Ericson are cool and smooth, despite the years that it has been since anyone took proper care of them. AJ is sure the kids try their hardest to keep the place clean (Willy even telling him they had a chore chart in Tenn’s, the chief cleaner’s, room) but that didn’t stop the place from being covered in dust and pretty dirty. Honestly, the only real clean place was Tenn’s room.

AJ is on his way to check on Dio but stops outside the door to their room. The door is slightly open and Clem’s inside with Dio. The chubby six-month-old is sitting up on a pillow that is propped up like a chair. Clem is holding his hands and making them move up and down.

“Who’s my chubby, chubby baby? Who’s my chubby, chubby baby?” Clem tickles his sides. “You are. I don’t know what you’ve been eating while I haven’t been looking because you’re so biiiiig!”

Clem picks him up and swings him around before kissing him on the nose. AJ giggles but muffles it in his sleeve. Clem is so tough but as soon as she thought no one was looking she acted like… that. Gen said that she was the same way with Luke, too.

“Not so big that I can’t pick you up anymore, though. You’ll have to grow a lot more than that! Can you say ‘Clem’ for me?” Clem tickles him but the brown-eyed boy grimaces instead before bursting out into wails.

“Oh, no, did I hurt your feelings by calling you chubby? No, I’m just kidding.” Clem pulls out a jar of baby food for Dio. “Hmmm. Asparagus-Leak. Sounds truly delicious. And very nutritious.”

“Ba-ba, Cem.”

AJ watches as Clem turned with wide-eyes. She hugs the child tight, a small tear dripping from her eye. She has a huge grin on her face while she feeds him. “You know I think you’re the earliest talker. You’ll be hard to keep quiet when you’re a little older, I can tell. It’s a good thing there are so many kids here to wear you out.”

AJ sighs and quietly closes the door, deciding not to interrupt after all. Maybe he would check the courtyard for Tenn. They could play with his toys.

AJ kind of hated to admit it but he did really like it here. There is food and other kids and he feels safe, despite Marlon being here. 

Another thing AJ hates to admit is the fact maybe Gen had been right when she stopped him from shooting Marlon. He is just a regular guy trying to survive too. AJ had seen that firsthand when Marlon went to help him find Clem.

AJ frowns at the decidedly barren courtyard. The only sounds to be heard are the few birds chirping in the trees as well as a quiet whistle.

AJ looks around until he spots the source of the noise. “Hey, Omar. What are you doing?”

“Just cooking up some dinner. Louis brought some herbs from the greenhouse so it'll taste extra good.” Omar smiles as he stirs his pot of water, waiting for it to come to a boil.

“Why bother? Clem always just opens the can and says ‘eat or Gen will be taller than forever because she eats her vegetables.’”

“Well, because it makes me feel close to my Nana. She was the one that taught me to cook,” Omar whispers as he stirs the water. It's more to just give his hands something to do rather than for the actual cooking aspect.

“What's a Nana?”

“Oh, um. It's basically someone who loves you and takes care of you,” Omar explains, clutching at something in his pocket with his eyes closed. For a second the only sound is the rustling of the leaves.

“So, like, Clem. Should I call her Nana?”

Omar lets out a small chuckle. “Go ahead.” Omar pauses. “Just don't tell her who told you the word.”

“Okay. Can I help you,” AJ asks as he picks up some of the herbs spread across Omar's makeshift cutting board.

“Sure. I need help cutting these herbs. Usually I don't let anyone help but I guess you can be my apprentice.”

“Cool!” AJ exclaims, not quite understanding word. He pulls his knife from his back pocket but Omar grabs his hand before he can cut into the herbs. “What?”

“Use this. It's clean and, you know, hasn't been used to chop up the living dead.” Omar puts a new knife in his hand and lifts his finger. “Now, the first rule to using a knife is to not run with it.”

“I know! I use my knife all the time!” AJ jumps up, a little offended at the claim.

Omar rubs the back of his head a little sheepishly. “Sorry, that was just the first lesson I learned. But, I guess you're already ahead of me, AJ.”

“Does that mean I can't be your apprentice,” AJ asks, a little upset that the apprenticeship was over before it really got started.

“I think you can. You'll just be a little more advanced than I was. Here, take these and cut them into little pieces while I prep the meat.”

“Meat! Can I do instead?” Meat AJ recognized, unlike weird green plant thingies that Omar called herbs.

“No, because if isn't cooked right it's dangerous. We wouldn't want to hurt anyone, right?”

“I guess not.” AJ couldn't keep the disappointment out of his voice despite his efforts.

“Don't worry, I'm sure you'll graduate to meat really soon!”

“Okay.” AJ picked up the clean knife and started to cut everything into smaller pieces. It was actually hard to do so everything was uneven.

Of course that didn't stop Omar from smiling brightly and praising him, “Good job, AJ! Definitely a lot better than my first try.”

AJ helped Omar carry the herbs over to his pot of boiling water and chunks of rabbit. “Okay, add em in!” 

AJ liked watching the herbs get all mixed up as Omar spun the food. It was fun but the job was done, or so he thought.

“Hold up! As the chefs, we still need to add Good Luck.”

“Good Luck?” AJ, in all the recipes he had read in his five years, had never had anything called Good Luck.

“Yeah, it was something my Nana always did. She said it makes your food taste real special.” 

AJ scrunches up his face in confusion. “How do we add Good Luck?”

“It's easy. We just both touch this rabbit's foot, which is for good luck, and spin backwards three times.” Omar fishes the rabbit's foot, which is what he had been clutching onto, from out of his pocket and let AJ touch it, before he spins three times backwards.

“Okay. This better not be a prank,” AJ warned, thinking of how Tenn said that Willy once convinced him to wear his clothes backwards for a week because it 'warded off walkers’.

AJ follows Omar's lead and spins backwards three times, giggling by the time he’s done. “Okay, Good Luck has been added! Now, what?”

“We let it simmer until it's done. If you were looking for Tenn, then he's upstairs in his room playing with his toys. I'll let you know when dinner’s ready, my apprentice. And don't forget that Clem's basically your Nana.”

“Oh, yeah!” AJ nodded. “Thanks for telling me where Tenn is.”

Of course, later that night at dinner, AJ had forgotten Omar's earlier warning not to tell Clem where he learned the word. 

The teenage chef ended up with a spoon mark on his face. Because, well, Clem threw a spoon at him. AJ never forgot that Clem was definitely not his Nana and if he ever called her that again, she'd throw a spoon at him, too.

Naturally, AJ loses all trust in humanity. Especially whenever they are around spoons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone who has commented thus far. If you have any complaints, questions, or criticisms let me know, it's ultimately you guys who help make the story clearer/better. Heck, if you have suggestions for scenes you'd like, let me know, I'd love to hear about them!


	14. Fun Times at Erison Before the Shit Hits the Fan Pt 3

Gen runs her hand through Luke's thick, brown locks, relief flowing through her at the sound of his gentle breaths. She knows the raiders are coming and that Clem got what they needed to defend the school yesterday but she always seems to find herself back here.

She feels responsible for Luke, more than she does for Dio and AJ. After all, she's the one who couldn't pull the trigger. It's her fault that Luke walks with a limp, that he couldn't get away from the raiders fast enough.

Maybe that's why she always feels a little kernel of jealousy towards AJ. He never hesitates, he just pulls the trigger. You have to admire that kind of self assurance.

“You'll be okay,” Gen says, more for herself than anyone else, as she continues to stroke Luke's hair. His skin, which was normally tan and healthy looking (even in the winter), is clammy and pale. Gen just wants him to open his stupid, brown eyes and give her a toothy grin.

“Hey, sug. Sorry to interrupt but we have to change his bandage.” Ruby pulls out a roll of fresh bandages for her to see. It's weird her, the stars are so bright that even without the sun you could see clearly.

“C-Can you teach me how to do it? Y’know… just in case.” Gen wipes at a tear she didn’t notice had formed. She’s the big sister. She’s supposed to be tough so her little brothers aren’t scared. She shouldn’t be crying like a baby.

Ruby smiles at her gently and nods, “‘Course, sug. We’ll have you stitchin’ people up in no time.”

“Okay.” Gen likes the sound of that. She lifts Luke’s shirt up, eyeing the old bandage underneath. It spotted with dry blood but at least it doesn’t smell infected. “We take this off first, right?”

Ruby just nods in reply, letting Gen unclip the safety pins and take the bandage off. Luke’s stomach is a mess of black stitches and jagged scars but at least it isn’t bleeding anymore.

“We’re gonna have to clean up this blood around the wounds a bit first. Won’t do any good to let it fester. Come with me to get some water?”

“Yeah.” Gen hops up from her spot by Luke’s side and follows Ruby out to the courtyard. Normally, they would have someone fetch fresh water every morning, or so Ruby tells her, but because of the risk of raiders they started keeping basins of water in the courtyard for dishes and cleaning wounds and hands. They had a bunch of old bottles that they filled with water from the creek for drinking

On their way to the courtyard, they stop at their makeshift kitchen to grab a bowl and a clean rag. With that done, they’re free to continue on to the courtyard.

“Why’d you decide to start helping people?” Gen looks at Ruby who looks straight ahead, a reminiscent look on her face.

“The school nurse taught me. Ms. Martin. She was the only adult who stayed behind with us. It gave me something to focus on. Helped me control my anger. When she passed away, I had to step up. They were big shoes to fill but I had to get ‘er done!” Ruby laughs a little despite the tears forming in her eyes.

“How long ago did Ms. Martin die,” Gen isn't really sure if that's an ‘impolite’ question. No one she knows had ever talked about a dead person that died before she knew them.

“Oh, it was a ways back. Marlon and Clem found her and buried her yesterday, much to Mitch's annoyance. I'm glad they did though. People deserve proper goodbyes.”

“Why was Mitch annoyed?” Brody's funeral had been the third real funeral she had ever attended. It seems like a nice way to send someone off. She thinks Brody's was nicer because it was longer. Mari's and Gabe's had been short. It was weird that no adult she knew ever got a funeral. Not Jane or Kate. Javi thry hadn't even seen die. Kate just told them the walkers got him. The walkers get everyone eventually.

“Mitch is just like that.” Ruby pauses as she scoops up the water in the blue bin labelled 'sterilized’. “You mind holding on to that?”

“Oh! Not at all.” Gen takes the bowl and they start to walk back to the school in silence.

“Mitch is a real softy in the inside. Y'all shouldn't judge a person by the front they put up, or by their worst mistakes. We Ericson kids know that best, which is why we tolerate and accept people like Mitch and Marlon.”

“That's good. Clem doesn't trust people because she's met so many bad ones. I think that because she's met so many bad ones there has to be good ones for her to meet too.”

The girls fall silent until they reach Luke, even then the only words that pass between them are soft instructions from Ruby. By the time they're done, Luke's bandage is changed (although wrapped a little crookedly.)

“It's getting late, sug. You should probably scamper off to bed.”

“What about you?”

“Got watch duty.”

“Oh, okay.” So, Gen set off to find their room.

*

The dark hallways of Ericson are oddly peaceful. Enough light streams in that you can see in front of you and the silence, while it may be eerie to some people, calms her.

It's only as she strains her ears that she realizes it's not completely silent and that a sound drifts lazily from the open music room door.

Gen stands before it, watching Louis gently tap the keys in no real melody. She crosses the room in a few strides and sits next to Louis on the bench. “What're you doing?”

“Playing the piano,” Louis replies with a smile.

“Thanks, Captain Obvious. I meant why? It's late, you should be asleep.” Gen points to the door to accentuate her point.

“It helps me think. Mitch says even this can't help my brain but I try, nonetheless.” Louis continues to hit the piano keys she doesn't know.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Does making a mistake, even if it's a huge mistake, make you a bad person? Because if it does then, man, I've made some doozies.”

“Ah, Marlon. Don't you think that you should ask someone older?” No one should really respect her opinion, she's only seven after all. She's too dumb to realize that leaving the walker couple tied up in the station alive was a bad idea. That's why Clem killed them.

“Well, kid, looks like it's just you ‘n me.” Louis pauses, dropping his silly voice. “You stopped AJ. So, y'know. Share thy wisdom, young'un.”

“What Marlon did was wrong but he didn't deserve to die for it, that's why I stopped AJ. I can't say if Marlon is a good person because I didn't know him before what happened, but you did. So, you tell me what you think.”

“That's a horrible answer!”

“Well, for what it's worth, I think Marlon really needs someone on his side right now. So, even though you probably annoy the crap out of him, you should stick by him until he's a little more sound of mind and heart after that… It's up to you.”

Louis doesn't reply, not even a joke. Gen takes that as her cue, scurrying through the halls like a foolish little mouse. Why would Louis listen to her?

Why listen to her over fierce survivor Clementine?

Why listen to her over sharpshooter AJ?

Unfortunately, it isn't a question she's able to answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! If you have any critiscms, comments, or questions thus far I'll try my best to answer them so feel free to ask!


	15. Fun Times at Erison Before the Shit Hits the Fan Pt 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone thanks for reading! For those of you not enjoying the "filler" chapters then you're in luck cause this is the last one. 
> 
> I also just wanted to let everyone know that I'm gonna be busy this weekend so next chapter won't be up until Monday or Tuesday. Sorry about that!

Luke likes not having to move around as much. Not like AJ and Clem who, even though they now like the school, wanted to leave at first. Of course, that doesn’t mean that he enjoys lying down in the same stuffy room watching people come and go and be unable to help them because his stupid stomach has to heal.

He takes in a deep, satisfying breath as he finally steps outside about a week and a half after his accident. Who can tell what day it is anymore, right?

“Lukey!” Suddenly something is barreling into him and he’s falling to the ground, laughing as he does so despite the pain in his stomach.

Ruby, Clem, and Gen’s voices come from behind him, all screeching the same thing. “You’re gonna rip his stitches!” 

Gen walks up to them and pulls Willy off Luke, scowling as she does. “Get off him, you big dummy!”

“I’m not hurting him, stupid!”

“Don’t call me stupid.”

“Don’t call me dummy, then.”

Ruby steps between the two kids while Clem laughs and helps Luke up. “What’s so funny, Clem,” he asks his mother figure.

“Look at her with her feathers all ruffled, arguing with a boy five years older than her and a foot and a half taller than her. It makes her seem like her actual age and I’m remembering her as a little baby. God, I’m so old.”

“You’re not an adult yet so at least you won’t die of old age. Or a heart attack. Willy told me that heart attacks are a major cause of death in America.” Luke sniffs the air, liking the smell of the leaves and the feel of the sun on his face.

“I think that was before kiddo.”

“I hope so. If walkers kill less people than heart attacks I’d be embarrassed for the world.”

“Jeez, when’d you learn all these big words,” Clem asks as she ruffles Luke’s hair. 

“I hear stuff,” Luke replies simply.

Ruby finally manages to break the kids up and Gen does not look happy. She eyes Willy like he has three heads and looks tempted to say more. Luke’s used to it though. Gen’s backed him up as long as he can remember, even when AJ was making fun of him because he limped and couldn’t shoot a gun as well.

“It’s okay, Gen. I want to walk around with Willy, I’ve been cooped up inside for so long.” Gen sighs as he says this and nods, going off to find Violet for a job that she can do.

“You sure you’re okay, bud,” Clem asks.

“Yep, don’t worry! I’m a lot stronger than I look, it’ll take more than a set of stairs and a few bullets to do me in!”

Clem laughs and kisses him on the cheek in a rare display of physical affection. “Glad to hear it, bud. You have to grow a little taller before I let you die.”

Clem and Ruby walk back into the school together, off to finish their various tasks around the school.

“Good, they’re gone! I’m actually on watch duty but I have a little… proposal to make you,” Willy tells Luke as he leads him over to the watchtower next to the gate.

Willy silently hands Luke a bow as they stand up on the tower, the wind gently blowing through their hair. “So, what's this proposal.”

“I have a vision. For a prank on Mitch.”

“Shouldn't we be helping them prepare for the raiders, rather than fool around?”

“Oh, don't worry. If anything Mitch could use the joke, he's getting a little stressed about the bomb going off and everything. Hey!” Willy points to walker that shambles into view from behind a tree. “Let's see what you can do!”

Luke takes an arrow from the quiver in front of them and strings his bow, pulling back on the string. He groans as it only goes back about an inch. He releases and the arrow shakily flies a few feet from the gate. Luke laughs and Willy laughs with him. “You suck!” Willy kills the walker with all the grace of a seasoned hunter. “Y’know you have to go get that now, we can’t be leaving them out for the raiders.”

 

Luke sighs but complies, carefully hopping down the makeshift structure and grabbing his and Willy’s arrows from beyond the gate. “So, what’s this idea of yours,” Luke asks as he shambles back up the watchtower.

“Well, the first thing we’re gonna need are stink berries.”

“Stink berries?” Luke has never heard of such a thing. “Are you trying to prank me?”

“God, no, Lukey, my boy. We are a pranking unit! Now, Omar’s been going out hunting the last few days in order to up our stores so we won’t starve to death when we close off the gate. Today’s the last trip before we block it off so you and I are going to go with him because the berry tree is quite close to where we hunt.”

 

“Okay, I get it.” Luke frowns. “But I don’t think Clem is gonna let me go.”

“Luke, you’re gonna have to find a way. Just don’t bring your sister. She might snitch on us. No girls except Violet can be trusted!” Willy shoos Luke off inside and Luke goes bravely. He has a mission after all.  
*  
Luke finds Clem in the their room along with AJ and Dio. She has her eyes closed and is looking around. “Where’s Dio? I can’t see you!” Then suddenly she opens them and tickles him. “Peekaboo! I think I found you.”

The baby giggles and AJ along with him. “Can you say ‘Clem’ for AJ? Can you show your big brother how big you’ve gotten?”

Luke walks over and taps Clem on the shoulder. She smiles at him, “What’s up, bud?”

“Um, can I go hunting with Omar and Willy?”

Immediately lines crease across Clem’s face in worry. “I don’t know, bud.”

 

“Please, I’ll be super careful! Omar and Willy will be there!” Clem doesn’t answer. “I haven’t been able to help at all because I got hurt, and I want to help now, I’ll be safe, I promise. I just want to do something on my own.”

Clem sighs. “Okay. But AJ is coming with you. You have your-”

AJ pulls his gun out and spins it around. “Of course. Don’t worry, Clem. We’ll prove to you that we’re tough! You don’t have to worry about us.” AJ leans forward and kisses Clem’s cheek. “I’m sorry I called you Nana.”

“Don’t bring it up again, AJ. I keep spoons under my bed now,” Clem simply replies as the two boys run off, more than a little afraid.  
*

Omar and Willy are waiting for them as they walk over. 

“I thought of the perfect prank, Luke! Oh, hey, AJ. Can we trust you to keep a secret?” Willy looks at AJ more seriously than he has ever looked at anyone.

“Yes.”

Omar silently shakes his head as he gestures to where the spoon mark on his face was, it has since healed over.

“Alright, so we’re going to fill Mitch’s pillow with stink berries! His room will smell for days, it’ll be hilarious. Almost as funny as the time he set a stink bomb off in Ruby’s room!” Willy laughs as he remembers the good ol’ days. Y’know, before raiders were trying to kill them.

“Um, don’t you and Mitch share a room?” AJ looks at WIlly like he’s crazy.

“I’m gonna bunk with Tenn.”

“I never agreed to that.” The boy looks up from what he’s drawing on the table. “But it’s fine as long as you adhere to my chore chart.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll fold my clothes before I go to sleep and everything.”

Tenn nods, satisfied. He goes back to his drawing, sighing a little as the wind carries some of the pages off.

“Well,” Omar says. “Now that that’s settled, let’s go!”  
*  
Luke will admit that it was a little scary being out in the forest when he knew that there could be raiders anywhere. They are fast and efficient, though. Omar spends the day hunting near the bushes with the help of AJ while Luke and Willy pick berries (which indeed quite smelly.) Neither party ever goes out of sight of the other so everyone’s safe and both jobs are done by the time the sun is setting. Then comes the hard part.

Luke is searching through the halls of Ericson for Mitch to run interference. The only place he hasn’t checked is the basement. He swallows his fear and opens the door. Ironically, Luke doesn’t particularly like being in a room where someone he knew died. And Brody died down here.

The place is surprisingly clean and Mitch is working on the bomb. His hands are a little red and he grimaces as if they’re cramped. “Hey, Mitch.”

Mitch turns, startled. “Oh, hey.”

“Do you need some help?”

“No-Wait. Actually, yeah. You want to light the fuse?” MItch holds out the spark thingy that he and Clem got from the greenhouse.

“You want to light a bomb? Down here? In the confined basement?”

“Oh, don’t worry. It’s not a big enough bomb that’ll hurt us. It just… might destroy some shit.” Mitch waves the spark thingy. “So, c’mon. Or are you a chicken.”

“I’m not a chicken!” Like snatches the thing and takes hold of the fuse, lighting it after a few tries. Mitch pulls Luke behind him and back away but nothing happens when the fuse finished. 

“Shit.”

“Shit fuck.”

 

Mitch holds up a hand and Luke looks at it, confused. He holds his hand up, too, and Mitch hits it with his own. “High five,” he explains.

Willy comes downstairs just then. “Luke, we have to go help everyone seal off the gate. Mitch need any help?”

 

“No, actually. This needs a few more hours of work.”

Willy nods and grabs Luke by the hand leading him upstairs. “Now, all we have to do is wait.”  
*  
Mitch stumbles through the halls, exhausted. He’s been working on this bomb for fucking days and he still can’t get it to light. People are relying on him, and it’s a weird feeling. He’s always been on the sidelines. Marlon had been the leader. Louis and Vi had been his best friends. Mitch has always just been the prickly one, the dick.

He hates to admit it but the stress is kind of getting to even him. When he gets to his room there is a faint odour coming from under the door. “Ugh, Willy,” he groans. That kid could clear out a room faster than a fire.

He opens the door only to be hit with a brick wall of stench. Mitch walks across the room, knowing he recognizes the smell and puts his hand down on the pillow. There is a faint squelching sound and orange mush falls out of the case. Mitch can’t help but laugh.

Of course, he’s still furious. He knows that Luke most likely also had something to do with it but the kid just recovered from a gunshot wound, so Mitch won’t strangle him to death. Willy, on the other hand.

Mitch bursts into Tenn’s room, knowing exactly where the little brat would take cover. He jumps onto the bed Willy’s sleeping in and noogies him as the boy shrieks. “I bet you thought that was a funny thing to do, huh?”

“It was! It was!” Willy starts to laugh and Mitch can’t help but join in.

“Well, I guess I’m bunking up with you.”

Tenn groans, covering his head with his hands. “If you blow up my room, so help me, I will give Clementine every single spoon we have in this entire school.”

Naturally, the only time Tenn’s violent is when his clean way of living is at stake.


	16. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1 day late, could've been worse! With the return if school comes the slow murder of my social schesule so unfortunately I'll be switching to 1 chapter a week (which is still better than before because let's be real my posting schedule was real bad.)
> 
> Whether there will be a chapter this weekend remains to be seen but the weekend after that there will DEFINITELY be a chapter up.

The preparations are going surprisingly smoothly in Clem's humble opinion. The gates are blocked off, they have food stored up, and the courtyard looks like something straight out of a horror movie. Really the only thing left to do was set the traps in the admin building.

Clem laughs as Dio babbles in her arms, fussing. “I think we should take you out for some fresh air, huh? We've been neglecting you, I guess.”

Clem walks through the quiet halls of Ericson, whispering reassurances to Dio. The sun is pleasantly warm and the air is indeed fresh.

Clem surveys the courtyard. Mitch sits at one of the tables with Luke. They're three peas in a pod, those two and Willy.

Tenn and AJ are drawing at the other table, smiling and laughing like they don't have a care in the world.

Gen is doing inventory with Ruby, and Aasim and Willy are working on trap ideas. The only one alone is-

Thunk. Clem turns at the sound of an arrow hitting its target only to see Marlon in a shooting stance. He has been quietly helping the last few days and while no one can forget what he did everyone is able to live with him again.

“Hey,” Clem greets as he approaches him. “What are you up to?"

Marlon turns to her and smiles. It isn't like the ones she saw those first few days. This one is smaller, more sad. The weird part is that it seems more real. He'll carry the guilt of killing Brody and trading the twins away for the rest of his life but at least he doesn't have to carry it alone.

"Just getting some more practice in. " Marlon readies the next shot. "I want to protect as many as I can, or else what was the point?" Thunk.

Marlon turns to her with a smug smile. "You try."

"Why? So, you can shit talk me?"

"Exactly."

"Well, fine. I guess now you've challenged me." Marlon tries to give the bow to her but she gestures for him to put it down on the small couch near the shooting range. He complies.

"Oh, no!" Marlon starts to protest as Clem places Dio into his arms. Fortunately for the baby, he doesn't actually move away. "I'll drop him!"

Clem shoots him a glare, thinking it a threat. "Don't you-"

"Not on purpose! " Marlon looks offended that she would even think he would do such a thing.

"Sorry, comes with the territory of challenging me while I have a baby in my arms." Clem picks up the bow and tests the string, drawing an arrow and lining up the shot.

The aim isn't that different from aiming a gun, really the only hard part is the physical exertion involved with shooting a bow. Of course, Clem is no stranger to physical exertion.

The first arrow flies a little to the left and barely grazes the target. She curses and lines up the next shot, daring Marlon to say anything. He pointedly ignores her instead trying to convince Dio (a six month old ish) that Marlon's thumb is his nose.

The second shot lands in the middle ring and Clem sighs, deciding to try one more time. Her fingers are unused to the bow and even though it was only two shots her fingers feel raw.

Thunk. The third shot hits the bullseye with a satisfying sound. Marlon finally decided to say so something, "There you go!"

"C'mon, what happened to making fun of me. You had the perfect opportunity!" Clem tries to hand the bow back to him but he puts his hand out.

"You keep it. I'm keeping this baby. I think I like him after all. Maybe I'll make him my apprentice so the power of the Southern states will flow through someone other than Ruby when I'm gone." Marlon sighs and Clem is a little shocked for a moment. She isn't used to Marlon being the dramatic one.

"Sorry, but your bow isn't worth my boy." Clem can finally reply.

"Well, then I guess you can have both. But I get visitation rights."

"What are you: his dad? And besides, what happened to protecting everyone?" 

Marlon looks away. "You've helped us a lot these past few weeks. I think the best way that I can protect them is by putting my faith in you." 

"But what will you use when the Raiders come?" Clem feels uneasy about accepting such a gift. She's never really received something with this much meaning before.

"I'll just get one of the older bows from the storeroom. No big deal." 

Clem smiles, "Thank you." It was weird how truly comfortable she felt around Marlon. He just didn't give off the aura of a bloodthirsty killer.

Suddenly, a weight fell across her shoulders and, quite frankly, scared the crap out of her. It was a good thing she didn't have a knife in her hand. "Marlon and Cleeeem sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G. They skipped a few steps and there's Marlon with a baby," a voice sang. "My man, little Dio."

Louis reaches past Clem to grab the giggling baby's finger. Marlon, on the other hand does not look impressed. "Hey, I'm not the one with the huge crush on-"

"OKAY!" Louis shouts. "Not cool."

Clem watches an angry Violet stomp out of the school. "Were you skipping work," Clem and Marlon ask together before looking at each other.

"Harsh. I wasn't…skipping. I was taking a break." Louis throws his hands up.

Clem sighs, "C'mon. Let's go see if Violet needs us to do anything." She slings the bow over her shoulder and holds Dio in one arm.

"But I want to-"

"C'mon!" Clem cuts him off and grab his hand, trying (and failing miserably because, let's be real Clem is very short) to drag him away. She's lucky he decides to follow. "See you later, Marlon."

Just as Louis and Clem catch up to Violet Willy bursts out of the school, Aasim close behind him. "Violet! Aasim won't listen to any of my ideas!"

"All I said was that it would be stupid to waste the materials and time to make a swinging log trap that would take out one raider at most. It would be smarter to fill duffels with bricks. You could break bones with that," Aasim calmly explains.

“Sorry, Willy. It probably is more practical to the brick traps,” Clem says, almost having a heart attack as Dio lunges and nearly falls from her arms.

"Mine's not a waste!"

"Yes it is! It's silly and something a child would think up."

Suddenly, Willy goes red and swings his fist, catching Aasim in a less than desirable place. Willy frowns before running away. Aasim mutters curses under us breath and plops down onto the couch near the picnic tables.

"We're going to fucking kill each other before the Raiders even get a chance." Violet rubs her face with her hands when Louis drops a hand on her shoulder.

"This is my specialty. What everyone needs is to lighten up!" Louis walks over to Aasim and plops down next to him. "Hey, Aasim, best buddy, best pal. You wanna chat?"

"Fuck off."

"Well, if you want me to get Ruby for you to talk to, I don't mind."

"Dude, shut up!"

"You like Ruby," Clem asks with a small smile on her face.

"Maybe," Aasim grumbles.

"Now, it's come to my attention that everyone has been rather upset for some reason. So, we must cheer everyone up with Stew with Lou, pre dinner edition."

“What do you have in mind, Lou," Marlon asks as he walks over.

"The classic: truth or dare! Now, seriously, Aasim, last chance to ask fair Ruby to play." Aasim just shakes his head but he doesn't leave, which Louis takes as a good sign.

Slowly, people start coming over. Their group consists of Clem, Marlon, Tenn, Louis, Violet, AJ, and Aasim. 

"Truth or dare isn't a card game," Violet points out.

"This one is. Highest card asks. Lowest card answers." Everyone nods in agreement. Unfortunately, Clem loses first. Violet wins.

"Truth," she immediately answers, more afraid of what Violet could think up as a dare.

“Okay, fuck, marry, kill-”

“Vi,” Tenn cuts her off.

“Fine! Flip, marry, kill… Ruby, Marlon, or…” Violet looks at Louis who shakes is head ever so slightly. “James, that guy who saved you.”

Clem takes Dio's hands in hers, pointedly ignoring those around her while she thinks. “I'll marry Ruby.”

“Oh, shit, Aasim, she’s coming for your girl,” Louis says as he punches his shoulder.

“Well, Clem is a better catch than you,” Violet adds.

“I guess I wouldn't mind if Ruby was my other mom,” AJ comments. “But only if she lets me burp sometimes.”

Clem smiles at the boy, already deciding that the best person to pick to flip would be the only other one who isn't there. “I would… Flip James.”

“Didn't he wear walker skin?”

“Yeah.”

“That's super weird.” Louis frowns at her.

“I wonder if he would take it off to… You know what? Never mind.”

“So, that means you'd kill Marlon. That's amazing,” Tenn says with a laugh.

“So, it's only bad when I try to do it?” AJ mutters shaking his head.

The cards are passed around again and Clem wins, allowing her to dare Aasim to go find Ruby and ask her for a kiss. AJ and Tenn are chaperones.

Before they enter the room where Ruby is they hear a terrible screeching noise. Honestly, they thought a cat was dying.

“Ye'll get it,” Ruby assures Gen before letting out a clean yodel.

“I don't think I'll ever be as good as you.”

“Just takes practice!”

The girls are interrupted when Tenn and AJ shove Aasim into the room. They aren't entirely sure what he says but it does result in him getting slapped.

Much to Louis's amusement, he's the one who wins the next round. Clem is again the unfortunate loser. “So, Clem, anyone you like-like?”

“Like-like? What are you six?”

“Seven, thank you.”

Clem thinks about it and it slowly dawns on her that she likes these people. And maybe if she stays long enough she could very well like-like one of them. “Maybe,” she answers softly. “One day.”

“So, who's caught your fancy,” Louis presses. 

“I think you're only allowed to ask one question.”

Louis pouts for a bit but pretty soon after Tenn nearly brings them all to tears with his confession about what he thinks about the walkers. 

The sun is starting to go down as they wrap up the game. Willy and Aasim have made up and plan to work on the traps together.

“Um, I'm going up to the bell tower to chill out before night. You can come if you want.” Violet starts off in one direction.

“Or you can help me. I have piano duty and I need second person.” Louis walks towards the school.

Without even questioning the decision, Clem follows Louis, a sleepy Dio in her arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was typed on my phone and the OG dialogue that is there is from memory so if there's errors or anything important I've left out, let me know!
> 
> Thanks so much for reading and commenting! <3 <3 <3


	17. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's late and kind of short. Busy and sick, like everyone. Not a good combination. 
> 
> I'm sorry the math on the timeline might not make sense to the more technical of you. I didn't realize that they confirmed Clem's birthday is in October and that she met Javi in February. I was going off rough numbers.
> 
> Thanks to everyone for reading and asking questions.

Clem took a deep breath outside the music room before pushing the door open and walking inside. Louis sat at his usual place by the piano, with a soft smile on his face as he regarded the old instrument.

“Oh!” The soft creak of the door seems to break the trance. “I didn’t think you’d actually come. I mean, I’m not mad, I’m just… I’m glad you’re here.” 

Clem, not sure how to reply to that, just shrugs with a small smile on her face. She shifts Dio so his head rests on her shoulder, his small breaths comforting her. For some strange reason, she had a knot in her stomach.

“Thought I’d tickle the ivories one last time before you guys turn my precious baby into firewood. And, y’know, before all hell breaks loose.” Louis leans back and stretches, seemingly a lot more at ease than she is.

“That’s a good idea. Haven’t heard music in a while. Maybe Dio’ll like it, too.” Clem smiled fondly at the baby in her arms.

“Never thought I’d see kids as young as yours again,” Louis comments. “Alas, before they can enjoy the sweet concord of sound we must tune this piano.” Louis taps a key, wrinkling his nose at the note. “It sounds disgusting.”

“Um, one sec.” Clem is relieved when she finds the little drawer bed that was made up for Dio on the first few days they were here was still set up. She gently lies the child down and covers him in the piece of fabric they cut into a tiny blanket. She kisses him once on each cheek (for good luck, she always told her kids) before returning to the bench.

“So, how do you feel about our imminent deaths,” Louis asks as he slides off the bench to make room for her.

She wants to lie, to tell him she’s fine, that she’s brave. But with him, asking questions and genuinely wanting the answer, to make everyone happier, it’s hard to lie to someone like that. “I’m terrified.”

“Oh, wow. I was expecting you to be more confident. But you just looked your feelings right in the face and said ‘you suck’. Damn, gotta respect that.” Louis stops walking at the front of the piano. “Okay, when I give the signal, play the A-key.”

“Um, I have no musical experience whatsoever besides listening to CDs five years ago.”

“C’mon, you know the A-Key. It’s after the G-Key, and before the B-Key.” Louis points vaguely to the keys he means, leaving Clem in a state of bewilderment. She takes a lucky guess.

“Good, that definitely helped.” Louis leans over piano and starts to fiddle with the instrument. “Now press the pedals while I make more adjustments.” Clem complies. “Great, that parts golden. Quick! Blow on the strings.”

“What?”

“I know, it sounds weird, but trust me. Cooling the temperature helps set them in harmony.”

“How often have you ended up sleeping in Tenn’s room due to a prank you pulled?”

“I’m offended you’d even think that would happen to me, of course I’ve never been banished to Lord Cleany’s room.” Louis gave her a small glare before breaking out into a smile.

“Alright, then I guess I trust you.” Clem eans forward and blows on the strings. Of course, nothing happens.

“Yeah, that did nothing. Like maybe on a microscopic level, or maybe blowing on strings is good luck. But if not, nothing happened. But it was funny.” Louis throws out his arms with a grin on his face. Suddenly, a sharp cry comes from the drawer bed.

“Unfortunately, while I have a sense of humour, it seems Dio does not.” Clem takes the child back into her arms before coming back to sit on the bench next to Louis, rocking the child gently. “Know any lullabies?”

“Many would say my voice is what keeps children awake at night,” Louis replies with a wink as he starts to press the keys softly. The noise seems to soothe the child, causing him to fall silent while not quite asleep.

“What are you playing,” she asks before remembering who exactly she’s talking to. “And don’t say a piano.”

“A song that I wrote,” he replies softly, his face almost solemn.

“Really, what’s it called?”

“I don’t know yet. I suppose I could just call it ‘Untitled’ but that might confuse some of the… less artistic of our group.” He smiles as he finishes tapping the keys. “There. First time played. We should mark the occasion.”

Louis pulls a knife from his jacket and leans forward to carve an L on the piano. He flips the knife, holding out to her before his eyes widen. He puts the knife down onto the piano and holds them out. It takes Clem a second to understand.

“Um, don’t drop him. Marlon will probably be mad. I promised him visitation rights,” Clem warns him as she places the sleepy child into his arms. At first the boy did not enjoy being disturbed but he was able to settle back down in Louis’s arms, seemingly happy with the feel of Louis’s trench coat.

“Main man Marlon couldn’t possibly be mad at me,” Louis said, wanting to put his hand on his chest but realizing he couldn’t at the last second.

Clem takes the knife and carves a C next to Louis’s L. She smiles as she carves a plus sign next to it before handing the knife back to Louis. Even the thought of drawing a heart around it made her feel embarrassed. She was definitely not the most romantic person.

“What did your hand slip? Oh, is it a cross? That's cool. Jesus is cool. Oh, wait! Plus sign, I see it now.” Louis chuckles a little before putting his head down. “So, hey, I’m gonna dig myself into a deep hole in which I’ll never emerge. Cool? Cool. Time to get serious.”

Those were words Clem never expected to hear out of his mouth. “Wow, serious? Are you feeling okay?”

“Not really, no.” Louis pauses. “Thanks for being here. Listening. Blowing on the strings. Coming to help me with my project even when there are other people you could be with… before. Everyone hears the jokes, the piano, and they stop listening. You didn’t.”

And suddenly, Clem can’t help the tears. “I’m scared,” she says, sounding like the eight-year-old-girl who’s still there, buried way deep beneath the surface. She likes the people at Ericson, she likes Louis’s lighthearted ways and how he can make her laugh, something she needs. But she’s so afraid to let someone else in, not after her kids. She was the strong one, she couldn’t let anything distract her. 

Secretly, there was another reason. She loved her kids, she did, truly. But on the worst days, days where the dead had cornered them or food was low, she couldn’t help but think how unfair it was that she ended up in this situation. That she ended up with all these kids. She didn’t wish that position on someone else.

She closes her eyes and rests her head on his shoulder. “I like you, but I’m scared.”

Louis smiles, a real smile, as he wraps an arm around her, kissing her cheek. “Then, when this is over, and you’re not afraid anymore, I’ll still be here. For Gen, AJ, Luke, and Dio, too.”

Clem never, in all her days, expected someone to say that. Even when she just had Gen it was pity she got, never support. Who would want the shitty hand she was dealt? But, here was Louis offering to support her anyway. To like her anyway. “Thank you.”

“I know what to call the song now.”

“What’s that?”

“I can’t tell you yet. Maybe when all of this is over.”

“Ha-ha.” Clem stood from the piano, making sure her eyes were dry. “I have to go, I have lookout duty.”

“Wouldn’t want to miss that. Sounds like way too much fun.” She offered him a small smile in return.   
*  
When she stood on top of the ladder, she saw Luke and AJ. You could tell the difference in age by the mannerism of the kids. AJ was tense, afraid. Luke was more laidback. He was young, impressionable, and trusting. Too trusting. He wasn’t truly afraid of the raiders, he just knew what he had been told and that they were bad. Similarly to how they tell kids not to take candy from strangers. To the young ones, the candy is still tempting.

Clem took her place next to AJ, looking into the forest. “The Raiders…” AJ started. “That guy, he’s gonna be with them.”

“Abel, yeah.” Luke looked at Clem with wide eyes, fear on his face. Not about the raiders. For AJ.

“Your bad dreams are all about him?”

“Yeah.”

“That guy is a fucking shitbird.” Clem chuckles. “It’s not funny, Clem. Come on!”

“I’d take a big shit on his head.”

“Alright, that’s enough.”

“When he comes, I want to kill him. I call dibs.” AJ frowns and looks out into the forest. Luke grabs Clem's arm.

“Will I have to kill someone? A person? I'm scared. Willy says they have to come soon since it's been so long.”

“Don't worry, Luke. I'll protect you. And if I'm not there you can protect yourself until you find one of the other kids.”

“But, Clem, I can't even tie my shoes.” Luke gestures to the tucked in laces. “I'm not brave like AJ. I don't want dibs.” Fat tears started leaking out of his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her thighs.

“It's okay. AJ is super brave but he doesn't get dibs.”

“Why,” AJ shouts before realizing his mistake.

“Because if all you can think about is revenge then you'll get yourself killed.” Revenge just distracts you.

“How about we rock, paper, scissors for it? Luke can play for you!” Everyone knew Luke only ever plays rock.

“No, AJ. I said ’no.’” Clem sighs, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Luke was terrified. AJ was out for blood. Dio was so young. She didn't even know here Gen was.

“Fine.” AJ grumbled. “Clem, what's that?” AJ passed her the binoculars he held.

She looked to where he pointed and swore. Torches. And horses and carts. “They're here.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'd appreciate any constructive critisism on any chapter but I'd really appreciate kudos and positive comments on the first chapter especially to make sure people are enjoying it. Enjoy!


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